Marta Marta Bio
Marta Vieira da Silva, known mononymously as Marta, is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a forward for National Women’s Soccer League club Orlando Pride. She is widely regarded as one of the greatest female footballers of all time, having been named FIFA World Player of the Year six times. With 122 goals, Marta is Brazil’s top goalscorer and holds the record for the most goals scored in FIFA Women’s World Cup history. Her contributions to both club and country have made her an iconic figure in the women’s game.
In Brazil she is nicknamed “Rainha,” meaning “Queen,” a title that reflects her status as the face of her national team and a global ambassador for the sport. Marta also captains the Brazil women’s national team and has built a career spanning more than two decades at the highest level of the sport.
Early Life and Background
Marta was born on 19 February 1986 in Dois Riachos, a small town in the northeastern Brazilian state of Alagoas. She grew up alongside three siblings, José, Valdir, and Angela, and was raised by her mother, Tereza, and her father, Aldário, who left the family when Marta was still a baby. From an early age, she learned to play football in the streets of Dois Riachos, often joining games with boys who lived in her neighborhood.
Her talent quickly stood out, and at the age of 14 she was discovered by Brazilian female coach Helena Pacheco, who helped her join the Centro Sportivo Alagoano youth setup. Determined to chase a professional career, Marta moved away from her family while still a teenager. She is fluent in Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish, and English, languages she picked up during years spent playing abroad.
Path to Soccer
Marta’s rise through the Brazilian football pyramid began with Centro Sportivo Alagoano’s youth team, where her speed, close control, and finishing ability marked her as a special prospect. After impressing in youth football, she joined Vasco da Gama in 2000, making her senior professional debut at just 14 years old. When Vasco’s women’s section folded two years later, she moved to Santa Cruz, where she continued to develop for two more seasons.
Her performances in Brazil earned her a move to Sweden in 2004, signing with Umeå IK of the Damallsvenskan. This transfer launched her onto the European stage and provided the platform for her to showcase her skills against top international competition. By the mid-2000s, Marta was widely viewed as one of the most exciting young forwards in the women’s game.
Marta Marta Career
Early Career (2000-2003)
Marta began her senior career with Vasco da Gama in 2000 before transferring to Santa Cruz in 2002, where she sharpened her goalscoring instincts in the Brazilian league. She made her senior international debut for Brazil at the 2003 Copa América Femenina, scoring her first goal for the senior team and helping the Seleção win the tournament. Later that year she added a Pan American Games gold medal at the 2003 event in Santo Domingo.
She also starred at the 2002 FIFA U-19 Women’s World Championship, where she scored six goals and earned the Silver Ball, signaling her arrival on the global stage. By the end of 2003, Marta had already established herself as a core member of Brazil’s senior squad.
Umeå IK Breakthrough (2004-2008)
Marta joined Umeå IK during the 2004 season and made an instant impact, scoring 22 league goals and helping the club win the UEFA Women’s Cup with an 8-0 aggregate victory over Frankfurt in the final. She was named Damallsvenskan top scorer in 2005 and played a central role as Umeå went unbeaten to win the league title.
Between 2004 and 2008, Marta won seven Swedish league championships across her time at Umeå IK, Tyresö FF, and FC Rosengård, building one of the most decorated résumés in Swedish football history. At Umeå she won three straight league titles and helped the club reach the 2007 UEFA Women’s Cup final, where they lost to Arsenal.
Los Angeles Sol Era (2009)
In January 2009, Marta announced she would join the Los Angeles Sol for the league’s inaugural Women’s Professional Soccer season on a three-year contract. She finished as the WPS top scorer with ten goals and three assists, was named league MVP, and helped the Sol win the regular-season title. The Sol reached the WPS Championship Final, falling 1-0 to Sky Blue FC.
During the WPS off-season, Marta returned to Brazil on loan with Santos, winning both the Copa Libertadores and the Copa do Brasil, scoring in both finals. Her success in the United States confirmed her place as the highest-profile women’s footballer in the world.
FC Gold Pride and Western New York Flash (2010-2011)
After the Sol folded in early 2010, FC Gold Pride acquired Marta’s rights in the WPS Dispersal Draft. She played all 24 games, scored 19 goals, earned a second consecutive WPS MVP award, and led Gold Pride to the 2010 WPS Championship. When Gold Pride folded after the season, Marta joined the Western New York Flash, where she won a third straight WPS Golden Boot in 2011 with ten goals in 14 games. She helped the Flash win the 2011 WPS Championship in a penalty shootout.
Tyresö FF and FC Rosengård (2012-2017)
With WPS cancelling the 2012 season, Marta returned to Sweden and signed with Tyresö FF, helping the club win its first Damallsvenskan title that year. In 2014 she scored twice in the UEFA Women’s Champions League Final, a 4-3 loss to Wolfsburg, before Tyresö’s financial collapse made her a free agent. She joined FC Rosengård, where she added two more Swedish league titles, a Svenska Supercupen, and a Swedish Cup during her time in Malmö.
Orlando Pride Era (2017-Present)
In April 2017, Marta joined Orlando Pride on a free transfer from Rosengård. In her first season she was named to the NWSL Best XI and helped Orlando reach its first playoff appearance. After recovering from an ACL tear in 2022, she became Orlando’s captain ahead of the 2022 campaign and returned in 2023 to become the first player to reach 100 appearances for the club.
In 2024, Marta led Orlando Pride to its first NWSL Championship, beating the Washington Spirit 1-0 in the final on 23 November 2024. She also helped the club clinch the NWSL Shield during the regular season and was named to the 2024 NWSL Best XI. On 9 January 2025, she signed a new two-year contract to extend her stay in Orlando.
Driving Style and Strengths
A small yet sturdy forward, Marta is celebrated for her quick feet, close control, and ability to beat defenders in tight spaces. Pelé himself once compared her style to his own, famously dubbing her “Pelé with skirts.” She excels in a classic number 10 role but has also been deployed as a main striker or wide forward, where she can cut inside and shoot with her stronger left foot. Her vision, pace on the dribble, and proficiency from penalties and set-pieces have defined her game across more than two decades.
Notable Events and Milestones
Marta became the first footballer of any gender to score at five FIFA World Cups, achieving the feat in 2019 against Australia. She also became the first player to score at five consecutive Olympic Games in 2021, when she netted twice against China. In 2024, FIFA established the Marta Award for the most beautiful goal scored by a women’s player each year, with Marta winning the inaugural prize.
Marta Marta Career Wins
Marta has accumulated one of the most decorated careers in women’s football history, winning league titles in three countries and adding major international honors with Brazil.
Club Honors
Across her time in Sweden with Umeå IK, Tyresö FF, and FC Rosengård, Marta won seven Swedish league championships, along with Swedish Cup and Svenska Supercupen titles. In the United States she won two Women’s Professional Soccer championships with FC Gold Pride in 2010 and the Western New York Flash in 2011, and in 2024 she added the NWSL Championship and NWSL Shield with Orlando Pride. On loan with Santos in 2009, she also lifted both the Copa Libertadores and the Copa do Brasil.
International Honors
With Brazil, Marta has won three Copa América Femenina titles in 2003, 2010, and 2018, and the Pan American Games gold medal in 2003 and 2007. She earned Olympic silver medals in 2004, 2008, and 2024, and was named FIFA World Player of the Year six times between 2006 and 2018, including five consecutive awards from 2006 through 2010.
Marta Marta Family
Family Background and Personal Life
Marta was raised in Dois Riachos, Alagoas, by her mother Tereza alongside her three siblings José, Valdir, and Angela. Her father Aldário left the family when she was a baby, and her mother was the central figure in her upbringing. She left home at 14 to pursue her football career, a decision that shaped both her personal and professional life.
In March 2017, Marta was granted Swedish citizenship while retaining her Brazilian nationality, and in February 2021 she received a U.S. green card. In January 2021 she announced her engagement to Orlando Pride teammate Toni Pressley, though the engagement was later called off. Since 2022 she has been in a relationship with Orlando Pride teammate Carrie Lawrence, and the couple announced their engagement in August 2024.
2025 Season Performance
Marta’s 2025 campaign has centered on her new two-year contract with Orlando Pride, signed on 9 January, and her continued role as both captain and attacking leader for the club. After helping deliver the franchise’s first NWSL Championship in 2024, expectations remain high for the veteran forward to guide the team’s title defense. Her form and fitness will be central to Orlando’s push to repeat as NWSL Shield winners.
On the international stage, Marta came out of retirement in 2025 to represent Brazil at the Copa América Femenina in Ecuador, where she played a decisive role in the final by scoring a late equalizer and contributing in the penalty shootout as Brazil won the tournament. The performance added another trophy to her international résumé and underlined her continued influence on the Seleção.