Brazil’s top scorer Marta has announced her retirement from international soccer this year.
The all-time record holder for most goals scored in World Cup appearances with 17, Marta has played at six World Cups and five Olympics.
If she plays in Paris 2024, it will be her last international tournament – and might be a last chance to add Olympic gold to her resume after twice winning silver with Brazil.
“If I go to the Olympics, I will enjoy every moment, because, regardless of whether I go to the Olympics or not, this is my last year with the national team,” Marta told CNN Brasil.
“There will be no more Marta from 2025 in the national team as an athlete. I am very calm about this, because I see with great optimism this development that we are having in relation to young athletes.”
The 38-year-old has won the FIFA Player of the Year Award six times, a record for female players; she’s also the all-time top scorer for Brazil with 115 goals.
Marta would have been one of the first women’s footballers who would have been known by the casual fan. She made her World Cup debut in 2003 and today 20 years later, having played in 6 World Cups, she has retired.
A true icon. Her passion and love for football has inspired many pic.twitter.com/lbCDblCWJy
— Her Sport (@HerSportDotIE) August 2, 2023
She will continue to play with the Orlando Pride in the NWSL, a team for which she was the first to make 100 appearances.