ORLANDO, Fla. — With technical prowess and considerable style, Marta danced around two sliding defenders, outwitted a goalkeeper and calmly scored as another player rushed forward in desperation to stop her.
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It was more Marta Magic.
That goal last weekend helped propel the Orlando Pride into Saturday’s National Women’s Soccer League championship game against the Washington Spirit.
Barbra Banda also scored in the Pride’s 3-2 semifinal victory over the Kansas City Current. While Banda has had an incredible first season with the Pride, captain Marta has been the talisman that has helped lead the team in its remarkable turnaround this year.
The last time the Pride were in the NWSL playoffs was in 2017 — Marta’s first year with the club. But this season they nearly went undefeated, going 23 games without a loss to start the season before losing 2-0 to the Portland Thorns with just two regular-season games left.
“I think because of the way that we did it, during this season, from beginning to now, it’s something very special that I’ve never had before with any other club that I’ve played for,” Marta said. “Plus year by year, we see in America, strong competition. This is the best league in the world. And you never know what’s going to happen, and it’s hard to keep winning the games, being in the first place almost like the whole season. That’s why it’s really different and so special.”
Marta’s goal was the latest gasp-inducing moment in a stellar career filled with them. Known by just her first name, the 38-year-old is a six-time FIFA world player of the year.
“Let’s see if tomorrow I can do something similar — or even better,” Marta said on Friday.
Read: Banda, Marta score and the Pride advance to the NWSL championship with 3-2 win over Current
Her teammate Kylie Strom chimed in: “That was the greatest goal I’ve ever witnessed, hands down.”
Appropriate. Earlier this year, FIFA announced that the best goal in women’s soccer each year would earn the Marta Award. In a lighthearted moment the day before the title match, Marta was asked if she thought it was possible she might give the award to herself.
“You guys need to decide, because who votes for the best goal in the year? It’s you. It’s the people in the public. So it should be really interesting, like Marta’s Award goes to Marta!” she said with a laugh.
Marta has played in six World Cups for Brazil and played this summer in her sixth Olympics, winning a silver medal after falling in the final to the United States. She previously said this would be her final year with the national team.
But since then Brazil was named the host of the 2027 Women’s World Cup.
“I had a conversation with my coach, the national team coach, and I was really clear about playing in 2027. I told him it’s not my goal anymore,” she said. “But I’m always available to help the national team. And if they think I still can do something during this preparation for the World Cup, yeah, I would be happy to help them.”
Marta’s club career started in Brazil when she was just 16. She has also played in Sweden and in the U.S. professional women’s leagues that came before the NWSL.
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With nine regular-season goals, Marta has had one of her best seasons since she joined the Pride.
“I can never pick a side, I never pick favorites — but I love to see this for Marta,” U.S. coach Emma Hayes said. “Marta is someone we all like, admire and are grateful for. And that goal was just like prime Marta at her best. And so grateful for and thankful for her that she got the opportunity with another game with her team.”
The Pride went 18-2-6 this season, clinching the NWSL Shield for the first trophy in club history. Orlando also set a record with 60 regular-season points to finish atop the standings.
“We are sitting top of the table, but I think there still are a lot of doubters. I think there’s people out there who say, maybe this was a one-off season,” Strom said. “But we’re here to prove them all wrong. So I think we do carry a bit of that underdog mentality still with us.”
The second-seeded Spirit advanced to the title match at Kansas City’s CPKC Stadium last weekend on a penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw against defending champions Gotham FC.
The Spirit’s roster includes Trinity Rodman, a standout forward who formed the so-called “Triple Espresso” trio with Mallory Swanson and Sophia Smith for the United States at the Olympics.
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