Recognizing the female Pele: Brazil’s Marta Vieira da Silva
Recognizing the female Pele: Brazil’s Marta Vieira da Silva
By Eric Beard
Don’t worry, I’m well aware that the Women’s World Cup isn’t until 2011. But because the World Cup is all about acceptance and perspective, I thought I would share with you a truly special player. I know some of you may be thinking, “I bet that every guy representing his nation in South Africa this summer is better than even the best female footballer,” but trust me, Brazil’s Marta will make you completely reconsider that notion. Marta Vieira da Silva, or just Marta, is hands down the most skilled female footballer in the world, and unsurprisingly she hails from Brazil. The four-time FIFA World Player of the Year has enough talent to make even Premier League players envious. At the 2007 World Cup she, pretty much single-handedly, defeated powerhouses the United States in a 4-0 thromping. This was perhaps the most stunning performance in a Women’s World Cup game ever, transcending to a class of her own while consistently pulling off Johan Cryuff-esque skills and gliding towards goal with ease. Here’s to a player who has been called the “female Ronaldinho” and the “female Pele”, but is undeniably a world-class talent. A compilation of Marta’s best goals is above, and the highlights of her amazing performance against the USA are below. What do you think of Brazil’s best ever female footballer?
