Football isn’t just a sport we love, nor is it merely a form of entertainment – it is also a source of hope, capable of making the impossible happen. From the very beginning, it has given many talented and hard-working people, in Brazil and around the world, the chance to build an incredible career doing what they love, whilst also lifting their families out of hardship. Among so many stories of success and glory, few are as impressive as that of Marta, the greatest female footballer of all time. Her story is one of passion, courage, strength and resilience. Today, we look back and celebrate her extraordinary journey.

Between challenges and dreams: The start of Marta’s career

Marta Vieira da Silva was born on 19 February 1986 in Dois Riachos, a town in the interior of Alagoas, one of Brazil’s historically poorest states. She was raised by her mother alongside three brothers, after her father abandoned the family when Marta was still a baby. Facing hunger and poverty, she worked in various jobs to help support the family, from selling clothes to washing dishes.

But whenever she found a moment’s respite, when life’s difficulties and pressures gave her a break, Marta did what she loved most: she played football. With the ball at her feet, it seemed as though all the world’s problems were gradually fading away. In that brief moment, all that mattered was the game. And it seemed that no one understood the game as well as she did.

“A coach from another team turned up and said: ‘If you let the girl play, I’ll take my team away.’ That hurt me so much.” – Marta

The girl had a gift. Barefoot, she played better than all the boys in the neighbourhood, who began to exclude her, saying that women had no place in football. No doubt they were afraid of being humiliated by a girl in a world that often tells us that boys and men are superior. Even Marta’s own brothers questioned her love of football, believing it to be abnormal.

But Marta persevered: she ignored the suspicious looks, the malicious comments, the rejection. She kept playing, day after day. It was around this time that a Children’s Futsal Cup took place in the municipality of Santana do Ipanema. The local coach, Luiz Euclides, affectionately nicknamed “Tota”, let the young Marta take part. Once again outperforming many of the boys, Marta became the target of threats, with some saying they would hurt her. Her presence made many others feel uncomfortable and resentful. Visibly moved, the star player recalls: “A coach from another team arrived and said: ‘If you let the girl play, I’ll withdraw my team.’ That hurt me so much. I said: ‘Gosh. Am I doing something wrong? Then why did God give me this talent?’” (Casão FC)

Frightened by the threats from some of the other boys, Tota decided to take Marta out of the competition. Like so many other talented and ambitious young women, Marta saw from an early age how doors can suddenly and unfairly close.

But Tota believed in Marta’s talent, and managed to get her assessed for a place in the Vasco da Gama women’s team in Rio de Janeiro.

Three days on the road, an eternity of glory

The 14-year-old girl had never left Alagoas, had never been so far from her mother and brothers. But what Tota saw in her was what many already knew but preferred to ignore: she had a rare gift. Marta’s talent was special, something that many at the time considered incompatible with a woman. She found herself at a crossroads: accept the difficulties and give up, or take the risk, embracing the uncertainties that this would bring, and do everything possible to realise her dreams. For those who knew Marta, it was obvious that there was only one choice.

After working hard to save money, she caught a bus and left home. The journey from Dois Riachos to Rio took three days.

Was the risk worth it? Well, in her own words: “I’d do it all again. Take the bus. Three days. Even a week if I had to stay.” (Esporte Espetacular)

Marta was accepted straight away at her first trial with Vasco, impressing everyone with her refined technique and unrivalled determination. And sure enough: within a few years, she was on her way to the European leagues.

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The queen of records (surpassing the kings)

Now, with a career spanning more than two decades, Marta has achieved unimaginable feats for clubs and the national team, in Brazil and around the world. She is a champion of the Women’s Champions League, the Swedish Damallsvenskan (on multiple occasions), the NWSL Championship, the Women’s Copa América and the Pan American Games. She has won the FIFA Women’s World Player of the Year award a record six times. The same applies to her career with the Brazilian national team: she is the all-time leading goalscorer for the national side, with 122 goals. The men’s national team’s top scorer, Neymar, currently has 79 goals. She is the all-time top scorer in World Cup history, among both men and women. When Marta broke this record, Ronaldo Fenômeno, winner of two Ballon d’Or awards, celebrated: ‘Thank you for all your fight and determination. You deserve it, Queen!’ (Instagram)

Pelé, the greatest Brazilian footballer of all time, was always praising Marta before he died, and gave her the famous nickname ‘Pelé in a skirt’. For a long time, there was no doubt that there was a king of Brazilian football – and now there was also no doubt that Brazilian football had its queen.

To understand why Marta’s story is so extraordinary, it is important to know not only her personal journey, but also the context of women’s football as a whole. Just as many players have faced adversity throughout their lives, the sport itself has faced it too.

In Brazil, women’s football was banned for 40 years, deemed incompatible with the nature of women. The sport was only recognised and regulated in 1983, with the Brazilian women’s national team finally being formed in 1986 – the same year Marta was born. At the first FIFA Women’s World Cup in 1988, there were no specific kits for the Brazilian players, who had to wear the men’s national team’s kit. The first Women’s World Cup did not take place until 1991, six decades after the first men’s tournament. And until just over a decade ago, there were no organised national women’s football competitions in Brazil.

For this reason, Marta was not only taking a risk by leaving Alagoas for Rio, because there was no guarantee that her career would succeed, but also because the sport itself was not yet fully accepted and valued in Brazil – nor in the rest of the world.

How Marta broke down the barriers of sexism

In many cases, indifference towards women’s football ultimately led to internal disorganisation and financial difficulties. Throughout her career, despite being a unique talent, Marta faced frustrations that were beyond her control. Vasco’s women’s team was disbanded in 2002 due to financial problems. Los Angeles Sol, the club with which she won the WPS league title in the United States, was dissolved following internal financial difficulties. The league itself came to an end in 2012, largely due to a lack of investment. Similar situations befell Gold Pride and Western New York Flash, other American clubs that Marta led to success. Tyresö FK, the Swedish club she played for in the early 2010s, went bankrupt in 2014.

But, undaunted, Marta pressed on, moving from one club to another and bringing immense glory to each of them. Against all odds, she ultimately triumphed and forged an admirable career marked by pioneering spirit, hope and achievements. And as Marta achieved great feats, women’s football also advanced, attracting greater engagement, interest and investment in recent years. The creation of the Brasileirão Feminino by the CBF in 2013 was an important and necessary step, expanded with the inclusion of a second division in 2016. Finally, from 2019, FIFA and CONMEBOL decreed that clubs without women’s teams could not compete in continental competitions.

“May we have complete freedom to choose what we want to do. Whether in sport, or in any other activity.” – Marta

It is undeniable that Marta’s extraordinary talent and her historic achievements were fundamental to the development of women’s football, bringing greater visibility and popularity to the sport. This was particularly evident with the creation of the FIFA Marta Award in 2024, awarded to the player who scored the most beautiful goal of the year. Marta herself won the award in its inaugural edition.

A champion, on and off the pitch

And Marta’s lasting influence on the pitch is matched only by her legacy off it. In 2018, she was appointed UN Women Goodwill Ambassador for Latin America, promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment in football. In 2023, she launched the sports brand Go Equal, donating all proceeds from sales to organisations that promote women’s leadership in football. After all, her mission goes beyond sport: “May we have complete freedom to choose what we want to do. Whether in sport, or in any other activity.” (ESPN Sportingbet Silver Ball Award 2018)

Nowadays, anyone walking along the legendary Walk of Fame at the famous Maracanã stadium can see tributes to some of the greatest players in Brazilian history. Among them are the footprints of Marta Vieira da Silva – the first woman to receive this honour. A woman who knew what her dream was, but also knew how difficult it was to achieve. Overcoming one obstacle after another, Marta proved tireless in her quest for an enduring legacy: escaping poverty in the countryside, travelling alone as a teenager to prove her worth in a new city, winning countless titles in Brazil and around the world, confronting the stereotypes and neglect that affect so many women in sport, and inspiring future generations of girls never to give up on their dreams. It is this unwavering perseverance that has taken Marta to where she is today – and that drives her to bring so many others along with her. As she herself says: “Never give up on your dreams. The path may be a little difficult, but never give up.” (GOAL)