By: Ansha Kottapalli

Marta, a female Brazilian soccer champion, said a heartfelt goodbye in a speech at her last professional game ever.

Marta played in the World Cup for Brazil for the first time twenty years ago at the age of seventeen. Now, at thirty-seven, she has since played in six World Cups.

However, Marta’s final game was an upset. Brazil’s team tied Jamaica 0-0, a score that eliminated Brazil from the group stage, their earliest elimination since 1995. Brazil hoped to bring Marta a World Cup trophy for her last game, just like Argentina brought Lionel Messi a World Cup for his last game in December.

This loss marked the end of this extraordinarily talented international soccer player’s career. Over the course of her career, Marta has racked up 17 total world cup goals – putting her in the lead for the number of goals scored at the World Cup. This two-time silver Olympic medalist has been named, “FIFA’s World Player of the Year” six times (NPR).

Marta compared this loss to her worst nightmare. Nevertheless, she says this is just the beginning for Brazil’s female soccer players. She adds, “I’m done here, but they’re still here”(NPR). Marta asks for continued support for these young Brazilian soccer players to achieve more success.

Although Marta decided to end her international soccer career, she will continue to play club soccer for the Orlando Pride in the NWSL.

Jamaican player, Bunny Shaw, says Marta is a huge inspiration to her, along with other young Caribbean girls and the rest of the world. When Marta first started soccer, she didn’t have female role models since they were never presented in the media. Now, Marta will live on to be the female role model other young girls look up to.