Verified 23 Oct 2026
Football · Forward
Marta
Marta Vieira da Silva is a Brazilian forward whose six FIFA player-of-the-year awards, 17 World Cup goals and Orlando Pride leadership define a landmark women’s-football career.
BrazilianBorn 19 February 1986
Current statusActive; #10 forward for Orlando Pride, observed 23 October 2026.
The verified profile
Marta Vieira da Silva, known professionally as Marta, is a Brazilian forward for Orlando Pride. Born in Dois Riachos in 1986, she built a cross-continental career in Brazil, Sweden and the United States, while becoming the World Cup’s all-time leading scorer and a six-time FIFA Women’s Player of the Year.
Factual references: Sources 1, 2, 3How to read the player
Marta’s importance is clearest when club and international evidence are kept in context: elite dribbling and finishing translated across changing leagues, while her 2024 Orlando captaincy, Olympic silver and long record of tournament scoring show sustained influence rather than a single peak.
Original analysis by SportsHub4U research deskCareer, life and public work
Every section and number below is tied to the named source ledger. Sport-specific statistics retain their stated scope and verification date.
Olympic medals
Brazil women’s football; Olympics.com athlete snapshot.
Games participations
First appearance Athens 2004; sixth appearance Paris 2024.
Career World Cup goals
All-time record for any player, men’s or women’s, as stated by Orlando Pride and Olympics.com.
Tournament goals
Won the Golden Boot and Golden Ball at the 2007 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Goals
Club profile’s 2025 season summary.
Assists
Club profile’s 2025 season summary.
Goals
Club profile says this was the most among NWSL midfielders and tied fourth across all competitions.
Career game-winners
All-time Orlando Pride club record, per current club profile.
League goals
First Orlando season, in 24 league games.
FIFA Women’s Player of the Year awards
Five consecutive awards from 2006–2010 plus 2018.
Personal background
Marta Vieira da Silva was born on 19 February 1986 in Dois Riachos, Brazil. Olympics.com describes a football education that began on the streets of her hometown, where she played barefoot with local boys’ teams; the same profile records her early route to Vasco da Gama’s women’s team at 14. That background is best read as a documented sporting origin story, not a basis for private-family speculation.
Professional journey
Her career crossed Brazil, Sweden and the United States. Olympics.com traces the sequence from Vasco da Gama and Santa Cruz to Umeå IK, Los Angeles Sol, Santos, FC Gold Pride, Western New York Flash, Tyresö and Rosengård before her 2017 move to Orlando Pride. The route shows how she repeatedly adapted to changing women’s football competitions, including the collapse of the WPS and the transition back to Sweden.
Playing career
Marta remains an active forward for Orlando Pride in the current club profile, which lists her as #10 and active. Her documented record combines club production with an exceptional Brazil career: six Olympic Games participations, three Olympic silver medals, a 17-goal World Cup record and a final Brazil competition at Paris 2024. Orlando also credits her with the 2024 NWSL Shield and Championship as captain.
Playing style
The strongest supported description is specific rather than absolute: UN Women calls Marta a prolific scorer, gifted player and dribbler, while her forward role and record of tournament goals show why she has been used as a decisive attacking reference point. Her movement between leagues and competitions also makes her a useful comparison point for creative forwards such as Alexia Putellas and Aitana Bonmatí, whose existing SportsHub4U dossiers provide different midfield profiles.
Setbacks and comebacks
Orlando Pride records that Marta missed most of the 2022 season after an ACL tear suffered during the Challenge Cup on 26 March at North Carolina. The same club record later places her in the Pride’s 2024 title-winning campaign and notes her 2025 season output of four goals and one assist. Those are dated career snapshots; they should not be turned into an unsupported current injury or fitness claim.
Post-playing work
Marta has not retired, so no post-playing career is established. The current Orlando Pride page lists her as active. Her public work alongside football is covered separately below and is not presented as a post-playing occupation.
Public ventures and public work
UN Women announced Marta’s appointment as Goodwill Ambassador for women and girls in sport in July 2018, with a remit focused on gender equality and women’s empowerment. The page also records earlier service as a UN Development Programme Goodwill Ambassador from 2010 to 2018. These are documented public advocacy roles. The reviewed sources do not verify that Marta owns or invests in a public business, and they do not turn the UN appointment into an endorsement or ownership claim.
Career timeline
Selected verified milestones
- Vasco da Gama debut pathway
Olympics.com says her talent led to a debut with Vasco da Gama’s women’s team at 14.
Olympics.com - Brazil senior debut
Orlando Pride’s international history identifies her Brazil debut at 16 in 2002.
Orlando Pride - Joined Umeå IK
Moved to Sweden’s UEFA Women’s Cup holders after her early Brazilian club years.
Olympics.com - World Cup double and Umeå success
Won the 2007 World Cup Golden Boot and Golden Ball; Umeå reached the Champions League final.
UN Women - FC Gold Pride and WPS title
Joined FC Gold Pride after Los Angeles Sol ceased operations and won the WPS Championship.
Olympics.com - Rosengård league success
Helped Rosengård retain the Swedish league title in 2014 and win it again the following season.
Olympics.com - Joined Orlando Pride
Returned to the United States and signed for Orlando Pride; scored 13 goals in 24 league games in her first season.
Olympics.com - ACL injury
Orlando Pride records that she suffered an ACL tear during the Challenge Cup and missed most of the season.
Orlando Pride - Orlando and Brazil milestones
Captained Orlando to the NWSL title and helped Brazil to Paris Olympic silver, her final international competition.
Orlando Pride
Achievement index
Source-linked reference points
2024 NWSL champion
Captained Orlando Pride to the 2024 NWSL Championship and Shield.
2024 Olympic silver medal
Helped Brazil win silver at Paris 2024, her final international competition with Brazil.
2007 World Cup Golden Boot and Golden Ball
Won both awards after scoring seven goals at the 2007 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Six FIFA World Player of the Year awards
Won the award six times, including five consecutive wins from 2006–2010 and another in 2018.
Four consecutive Swedish league titles with Umeå
Olympics.com records four consecutive Swedish league titles during her Umeå years.
WPS Championship with FC Gold Pride
Repeated league MVP and Golden Boot wins as FC Gold Pride won the WPS Championship.
Copa América Femenina champion
Led Brazil to its third Copa América Femenina title in 2018.
Sources and method
What supports this profile
SportsHub4U writes verified facts in original language and links to the source pages used. Each link records the evidence reviewed for this dossier.