Marta is rightly referred to as the “Queen of Football.” No other female player has consistently maintained such a high level of performance for nearly two decades while collecting so many individual awards.

Marta Vieira da Silva had to overcome adversity from the very beginning. Raised without a father—he left when she was just one year old—the future queen of Brazilian football also endured poverty, hunger, and even prejudice from her own brothers, who disapproved of her love for the game.

Once she entered professional football, many experts couldn’t believe a woman could play at Marta’s level. Yet others simply sat back and admired her, performance after performance. More importantly, Marta became a role model for the next generation—an inspiration and proof that dreams can come true in a sport no longer reserved for men.

“Marta is the biggest name in women’s football. She won so that we could reach the level we are at today,” said Thais Monteiro, attacking midfielder for Grota de Niterói.

Marta’s achievements remain unmatched. Only Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have equaled her six World Player of the Year titles. Even Pelé doesn’t surpass her in goals scored for Brazil. Fifteen of those goals came across four World Cup tournaments, breaking the record previously held by Birgit Prinz and Abby Wambach. She has even surpassed Miroslav Klose’s World Cup goal tally.

But Marta’s influence extends beyond the pitch. She is a UN ambassador and the first woman to have her footprints immortalized on the Maracanã’s Walk of Fame.

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