In the glory where Messi and Ronaldo were left behind, Marta emerged

 In the glory where Messi and Ronaldo were left behind, Marta emerged

Marta Brazilian footballer(Getty)

She is a six-time FIFA World Player of the Year and has the highest number of goals (17) in the history of the Women's World Cup. Another name for her is 'Pelé with Skirts.' It is hard to believe that there are still people who don't understand who she is. Her name is Marta, a Brazilian women's footballer. There were doubts about her place in the team for this World Cup due to an ankle injury.

However, Brazil coach Pia Sundhage announced the squad yesterday, keeping Marta in mind. If everything goes well, 37-year-old Marta will participate in her sixth World Cup next month.

The Women's World Cup will start in Australia and New Zealand on July 20. Combining men's and women's competitions, this is the biggest international football tournament to take place in the Oceania continent. Marta has secured her place in that prestigious team, creating another milestone. Surpassing legends like Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Lothar Matthäus, she has earned the most appearances in World Cup teams.

Among male footballers, six players have won the World Cup five times or more. Alongside Messi, Ronaldo, and Matthäus, this list includes three Mexican footballers: Antonio Carbajal, Andrés Guardado, and Rafael Márquez. In addition to those six, Gianluigi Buffon and Germán Ochoa are also on the list of players who have the most World Cup appearances. Marta has left them all behind by securing a place in the 2023 World Cup squad.

Since her coronation in 2002, Marta has been an indispensable part of the Brazilian women's team. Arguably the greatest in the history of women's football, this forward won her first World Cup the following year in the United States. Her most recent appearance was in 2019 in France. She has scored a record 17 goals in 20 matches in the World Cup. However, criticism remains for her failure to win the championship.

Boys have a record of winning the FIFA World Cup five times in football, but girls have the opposite in football. Brazilian girls have yet to touch the golden trophy even once. In the 2007 World Cup, they achieved the team's best success by reaching the runners-up position.

Although Marta has secured a place in the World Cup team for the sixth time, she is not the most frequent World Cup player. In this list, Marta is preceded by the former Serbian midfielder Svetlana Formiga. This midfielder of the Brazilian women's team has played in a total of seven World Cups from 1995 to 2019. She is also the only player to have participated in the Olympic football tournament seven times. Marta, having played 234 matches, bid farewell to international football at the age of 43 in 2021, holding the record as a Brazilian.

The list also includes Japan's Homare Sawa. This midfielder has played in six World Cups from 1995 to 2015. In 2011, Japan won the World Cup under her leadership. She received recognition as the best player of the tournament. In this World Cup, when Marta steps onto the field, she will surpass Sawa. Ono Megumi of Nigeria has also made it to the World Cup team for the sixth time as a defender.

To be the companion of Marta in the record of staying in the World Cup team the most number of times, Cristiane could have been there. However, Brazil coach Sundhage did not include 38-year-old Cristiane in the team. This time, the World Cup coronation could be achieved with eleven out of twenty-three members.

Although Marta is part of the squad, there are concerns about her performance due to her recent injury. After announcing the team, Coach Sundhage told the journalists, "Marta is the queen of football, an ideal. Her presence in the team is a big deal. She is among the best when it comes to delivering the final pass. But whether she will be there in the starting lineup, I cannot say right now."

Before leaving the country for the Women's World Cup, Brazil will play a friendly match against Chile on Sunday. Brazil's real test will begin with the match against Panama on July 24 in Adelaide. France and Jamaica are the other two teams in their group.

Brazil Women's World Cup Team:

Goalkeepers: Letícia Izidoro, Bárbara, Camila.

Defenders: Antônia, Bruna Benites, Kathellen, Letícia Santos, Mônica Hickmann, Rafaelle, Tamires.

Midfielders: Duda Sampaião, Formiga, Kerolin, Luana, Adriana, Ana Vitória, Aline Borges.

Attackers: Andressa Alves, Bia Zaneratto, Debinha, Geyse, Nicole, Beatriz Jannery, Marta.

Reserves: Thaís, Angelina, Alini Gomes.