Marta: Brazil legend announces retirement

Brazilian football icon Marta Vieira da Silva has announced her intention to retire from international football by the end of the year.

Marta, the top scorer in World Cup history across both men’s and women’s football, holds the record for the most goals scored for the Brazil national team.

Having already secured qualification for the Paris Olympics, the 38-year-old may make her sixth Olympic appearance this year, adding to her illustrious career that includes two silver medals from Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008.

The Orlando Pride forward talking to CNN Brazil revealed she would enjoy every bit of the Paris Olympics as this would be her last year in the national team.

“If I go to the Olympics, I will enjoy every moment, because, regardless of whether I go to the Olympics or not, this is my last year with the national team,“There will be no more Marta from 2025 in the national team as an athlete,” she said.

Marta had already put her future in the national team in doubt after suffering elimination in last year’s World Cup where she sadly said there won’t be any more World Cup for her.

Nonetheless she says she feels comfortable passing the baton to the next generation of Brazilian footballers.

“We have a really qualified team with really talented girls who, as the years go by, you will see what I’m talking about,“Because of this I feel very comfortable saying: ‘Listen, I’m passing on to you, I’m going to pass on the baton and you continue to carry on this leg,” she further stated

Marta is the all-time leading goal-scorer in World Cups, men’s and women’s, scoring 17 times in 23 appearances across six editions of the tournament.

She came closest to World Cup glory in 2007 when Brazil finished runners-up to Germany.