10 facts about Marta, the greatest player of all time

Born on February 19, 1986, in Dois Riachos, Alagoas, the life of player Marta Vieira da Silva has not always been easy. With a humble childhood and financial difficulties, she always had to fight hard to achieve her dreams.

History of Marta Vieira, the greatest player

Elected by FIFA six times as the best player in the world, the player Marta da Silva has a collection of awards and medals. Her speed on the field and skill with the ball live up to all her titles won so far, being considered the best player of all time.

Anyone who sees its glory and recognition today cannot imagine its origins. Raised only by her mother, along with three brothers, she became interested in football in the early years of her life at a time when there was a lot of prejudice against women in the sport. However, Marta overcame discrimination and followed her dreams.

The player needed to help financially at home, so she divided her time between playing ball and working with carts, an activity that consists of pushing a cart at fairs selling products. She also sold bags and clothes, washed dishes and other jobs to help support the family.

In Santana do Ipanema (AL), he played in the Children’s Cup of Futsal of the Athletic Association of Banco do Brasil (AABB). The team was male, but the coach allowed Marta to participate, as she already showed a lot of skill, being even superior to the boys. Over time, she had to end up leaving the team by an administrative decision.

Despite this, coach Tota helped her get tests in Rio de Janeiro, one at Vasco and another at Fluminense. She worked even harder with her trolley to save money so she could land in town on her own at age 14.

Marta was approved only in Vasco, a team in which she stood out among the girls and stayed for three years. Until the club traded the player to a European club.

Its importance for women’s football

There’s no way to talk about Marta without mentioning her relevance to important issues in women’s sport. The player is a spokesperson when it comes to discussing wage inequality between women’s and men’s football, an important issue because men usually earn up to five times more than women.

Knowing the salary disparity that affects Brazil in relation to women’s football, the player takes advantage of her visibility to charge sponsors. One example happened when she participated in an advertising campaign, in which the player entered the field wearing a closed red lipstick, reflecting discussions about the visibility of women in sport.

In the following trivia, you will learn more details about the relevance of this woman, as a player and as a human being.

10 facts about Marta’s life and career

Now that you know a little about its history. Check out some information to get to know the player better.

1. She left home at 14 to audition for football clubs in Rio de Janeiro

Realizing the girl’s talent with the ball, it didn’t take long to be signed by a football team. At 14, she was considered the best player in the under-17 category.

2. At the age of 14, he was already playing for Vasco da Gama

After winning the championship with Vasco, she was called up to the Brazilian national team in the under-19 category. And in a short time she was also called up to the main team. With 16 years. she played in both categories.

3. He surpassed Pelé in the number of goals scored with the shirt of the Brazilian team

While our football king has a mark of 95 goals, our queen Marta, in 2015, managed to surpass that mark, with approximately 116 goals scored by the Brazilian team.

4. She was elected the best football player in the world six times, surpassing Cristiano Ronaldo and Messi

Marta was elected by FIFA the best player in women’s football, surpassing the other football stars who hold five trophies. The player received the awards in the years 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2018.

5. She is the first woman to enter the hall of fame at Maracanã

The player won a space in one of the largest football stadiums in the country. Destined to expose her entire career and achievements, she will share an environment with names like Ronaldo, Pelé and Garrincha.

6. She is the top scorer of all the World Cups

Marta broke a record: she scored 17 goals in the World Cup in 19 games, with an average of 0.89 per game. The soccer queen surpassed the German Miroslav Klose, who scored 17 goals in 24 games.

7. She is a UN Women Goodwill Ambassador

Marta Silva fights for gender equality and women’s empowerment, inspiring them to fight for their rights, and challenging stereotypes regarding women’s capabilities, especially within sport.

8. Publicly assumed his relationship with football player Toni Deion in 2019

Discreet with her relationship, she is dating fellow football player Toni Deion. They live in Orlando, United States, where they play for Orlando Pride.

9. Got engaged in 2021

In 2021, Marta and Toni communicated their engagement through social media. It was our queen who proposed to her girlfriend. The date of the big event has not yet been announced.

10. Was honored by a samba school

In 2020, the soccer queen was honored by the samba school Inocentes de Belford Roxo, in Rio de Janeiro. In a beautiful tribute to the player, the player’s story was the theme of the samba-plot of the carnival in Rio.

There is no denying that she is the greatest player of all time, however, the pay gap and recognition of women in the sport are still guidelines that we must be aware of. To better understand this topic, understand what gender inequality is.