Marta back in the Brazilian national team: The fight continues

Marta fought back tears as she and her teammates accepted their silver medal on the podium at the Parc des Princes in Paris on the evening of August 10, 2024. While the Americans celebrated their gold medals and the third-placed Germans beamed with pride over their bronze medals, Brazil had more to deal with than just the final defeat. Because it would be Marta's last appearance for Brazil for the time being .

She had missed the Olympic semi-finals due to suspension, and in the final against the USA she had been substituted on after an hour. But even she had been unable to prevent the 1-0 defeat. What was particularly bitter was that, just as in 2004 and 2008, she and her teammates only managed to finish second (and once again it was the US team that dashed Brazil's gold medal dreams). Marta is arguably the best soccer player of all time, having been voted World Player of the Year six times – but she was never granted the crowning glory with her national team. She and her teammates also missed the big win in the 2007 World Cup final against Germany. Her career in the national jersey seemed unfinished, even though it was over.

Until May 2025, when she suddenly started again. Now 39, Marta rejoined the team. She has played in every Copa América match this summer. In the 5-1 semifinal win against Uruguay, she scored her first goal of the tournament and provided her third assist, scoring a penalty.

Marta's return, it seems, is also thanks to Brazilian national coach Arthur Elias. Two days before her appearance in the friendly against Japan at the end of May, Marta and Elias spoke at a press conference about her return to the national team. The coach emphasized that Marta was being nominated not only for her past achievements, but also for her current form: "She inspires us all, not only for past achievements, but also for what she continues to achieve." The 39-year-old herself points to the high quality of the US NWSL: "I'm still playing in the most physically demanding league in the world," she told reporters. "As long as I'm doing that, I want to fight for my place on the national team."

Yet just last year, she had struck a completely different tone. In April 2024, before the Olympic Games in Paris, Marta announced on CNN : "From 2025 onwards, there will be no Marta on the national team." After the Olympic final against the USA, Marta responded to speculation that she would play for the Seleção again for Brazil's home World Cup in 2027, saying she wanted to "cheer on the girls in the stadium" instead. And in May? Suddenly, it was announced: "The coach nominates the players who are currently in the best shape, regardless of age."

Perhaps it was the urge to celebrate in the national team jersey that prompted Marta's comeback. Perhaps it was also an eternal battle for visibility that is better fought on the big stage. Already on the occasion of her provisional departure from the Brazil national team in the summer of 2024, she spoke plainly: "Women's football is competitive, but it needs to be valued more, damn it!" At the ongoing Copa América, she upped the ante: After the match against Bolivia in the group stage on July 15, she, along with teammate Ary Borges and coach Arthur Elias, complained about the tournament's infrastructure. None of the teams were allowed to warm up on the stadium pitch; instead, they had to share a 15 square meter room inside the stadium. The reason given by the host association, CONMEBOL, was the high strain on the playing surface, as two matches per day were being played in the stadiums during the group stage. "As athletes, we are expected to perform, and in return, we demand good organization," Marta complained to Globo Esporte . Just three days later, the South American federation finally relented and announced a rule change that now allows players to warm up on the field.

This will also be the case on Saturday evening, when the Brazilians face Colombia in the final. It's a repeat of the last group match, in which Marta and Co. couldn't get beyond a 0-0 draw (although it's also true that they were short-handed for much of the match due to a red card for their goalkeeper Lorena). The roles are clearly divided in the final: The Brazilians are once again the clear favorites. Logically, after all, they have eight of the nine possible Copa América titles. And Marta.