Marta won the inaugural FIFA award for the best goal in women’s soccer — named after the Brazil great herself.
The 38-year-old was given the Marta Award at The Best FIFA Football Awards on Tuesday for her goal for Brazil in an international friendly against Jamaica in June.
Prior to this year, the FIFA Puskas Award covered all of soccer but it was decided to award it to the best goal in the men’s game — won this year by Manchester United forward Alejandro Garnacho — and create the new Marta Award for the women’s game.
“To compete against so many great players — we had some fantastic goals,” she said. “It’s been a wonderful season, too. But I’m even happier to receive an award that bears my name; this is undoubtedly the greatest honor.”
Marta is widely regarded as the greatest female soccer player of all time and had won the award for the women’s player of the year on a record six occasions.
She scored a record 119 goals for Brazil in 185 appearances for her country, spanning six World Cups and six Olympics, before retiring from international soccer after the Paris Games — where Brazil lost to the United States in the final.
Marta won the first NWSL title of her career last month when Orlando Pride beat Washington Spirit 1-0 in the final. She had scored another wondergoal in the semifinal, that could have also been a candidate for best of the year.
Marta was asked the day before the title match 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.
The Marta Award was voted for by fans and a panel of FIFA legends.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this story.
