Marta

Career start

Marta was discovered at the age of 14 by Brazilian coach Helena Pacheco. After playing for the Centro Sportivo Alagoano youth team, Marta started her professional career at Vasco da Gama in 2000, but the club folded two years later. She then transferred to Santa Cruz, a small club in the state of Minas Gerais, where she played for two more seasons before joining Umeå IK of Sweden.

2004–2009: Umeå IK

Marta joined Umeå IK during the 2004 season. The team reached the final of the UEFA Women's Cup, winning 8–0 on aggregate against Frankfurt, with Marta scoring three goals over the two legs. Domestically, Umeå finished second to Djurgården in both the Damallsvenskan and the Swedish Cup. That season, Marta scored 22 goals and was tied with her teammate Laura Kalmari for most goals in the league. Umeå were eliminated in the UEFA Women's Cup quarter-finals by Djurgården, with Marta unable to play due to injury. In the 2005 season, Marta was the top scorer in the Damallsvenskan with 21 goals, and helped Umeå to an undefeated season. During the Swedish Cup finals, Marta punched Helen Fagerström. Minutes later, Malin Nykvist elbowed Marta in the face, resulting in a fractured eye socket. Marta later apologized for her behavior. In 2006, Umeå was again undefeated in the league, with Marta scoring 21 goals. The team achieved an 11–1 aggregate win over Kolbotn FK in the 2007 UEFA Women's Cup semi-finals, with Marta scoring twice in both matches. They went on…

2002–2006

Marta made her international debut for Brazil at the 2002 U-19 World Championships, where she scored six goals and was awarded the Silver Ball. She scored her first senior international goal at the 2003 Copa América and helped Brazil win the tournament. She then won a gold medal at the 2003 Pan American Games. She made her World Cup debut and scored off a penalty kick against South Korea. She scored another goal in the group stage against Norway to help Brazil win 4–1. In the quarter-finals against Sweden, Marta scored off a penalty kick, but Brazil still lost 1–2. Marta represented Brazil at the 2004 Summer Olympics and scored three goals in the tournament to win the silver medal behind the United States. After the Olympics, she competed at the 2004 U-19 World Championships and led Brazil to a fourth-place finish and was awarded the Golden Ball.

2007–2010

On 26 July 2007, Marta scored two goals to beat the U.S. U-20 national team to win the Pan American Games at the Estádio do Maracanã in front of a crowd of 68,000. Afterward, the imprint of her feet was recorded in cement at the stadium, making her the first woman to be so honored.

Marta participated in the 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup with Brazil, who won three games in the group stage with Marta scoring four goals. In the quarter-final, Brazil won 3–2 against Australia, with Marta netting from the penalty spot. In the semi-final, Marta scored twice as Brazil won 4–0 against the United States.…

A short yet sturdy player, Marta is known for her quick feet and on-the-ball skills which have earned her comparisons with notable Brazilian players including Ronaldinho, Romário, and also Pelé, who dubbed her Pelé with skirts. In addition to her vision and technical skills, Marta is often praised for her pace when dribbling. She has played in several offensive positions: she began her career in an offensive midfield role (as a classic number 10), although she has since been deployed in more high-pushing roles, both as a supporting forward and as a main striker, or even on the wing, a position which has allowed her to cut into the middle and shoot with her stronger left foot. Although primarily known as a playmaker, Marta is also a prolific goalscorer from both penalties and set-pieces.

Marta was born in Dois Riachos, Alagoas, where she first learned to play football in the streets with boys. She has three siblings, José, Valdir, and Angela. Her parents are Aldário and Tereza. Her father left the family while Marta was a baby. She moved away from her family at the age of 14 to pursue a professional football career. She is fluent in Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish and English. She is a Catholic and states that God is very important to her, although she does not go to church often. In March 2017, Marta received Swedish citizenship. She retained her Brazilian citizenship and, having already been capped by Brazil, it did not make her eligible to represent Sweden. She gained a U.S. green card in February 2021, giving her permanent residency status and also qualifying her as a domestic player for NWSL roster purposes. In January 2021, after several years of dating, Marta announced she was engaged to Orlando Pride teammate Toni Pressley. The engagement was later called off. Since 2022, Marta has been in a relationship with her Orlando Pride teammate Carrie Lawrence. They announced their engagement in August 2024, and were married in Florida on 2 January, 2026.