Marta (footballer)
A Brazilian magician with the ball who redefined women's football, combining audacious skill with relentless scoring to become the sport's most decorated player.
Born 1986 (age 40)·Brazilian footballer·Birthday: February 19·Millennials
Biography
Marta Vieira da Silva emerged from the dusty fields of Dois Riachos, Brazil, to become the undisputed standard-bearer for women's football. Her story is one of overcoming not just defenders, but systemic barriers in a sport that offered few opportunities for girls in her homeland. With a blend of balletic dribbling, explosive acceleration, and a cold-blooded finishing instinct, she dominated on the world stage for over two decades. While a FIFA World Cup title eluded her, her six FIFA World Player of the Year awards stand as a towering testament to her sustained brilliance. More than her trophies, Marta's impact is measured in the generation of young girls worldwide who saw in her a proof of possibility, leading her to famously urge them to carry the torch in her final World Cup.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Marta was born in 1986, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Marta Was Born
The biggest hits of 1986
#1 Movie
Top Gun
Best Picture
Platoon
#1 TV Show
The Cosby Show
Marta's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1986Born
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1991Started school
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
1999Became a teenager
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2002Could drive
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2004Could vote
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2007Turned 21
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2016Turned 30
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2026Turned 40
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the FIFA World Player of the Year award a record six times (2006-2010, 2018).
- Is the all-time leading scorer in FIFA Women's World Cup history with 17 goals.
- Has competed in five consecutive Olympic Games (2004-2020), winning two silver medals.
- Became the first footballer, male or female, to score at five different World Cups.
Did You Know?
She holds Swedish citizenship and played for FC Rosengård in the Swedish Damallsvenskan for several years.
The street where she grew up in Dois Riachos was renamed in her honor.
She was a United Nations Development Programme Goodwill Ambassador for women and sport.
In 2023, she became the first player to be named to the FIFPRO Women’s World XI seven times.
““Women’s football depends on you to survive. Think about that, value that, and go out there and enjoy it.””
