Tyresö FF sign 5 times FIFA World Player of the Year Marta - 22nd February 2012

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Comment by Women's Soccer United on February 23, 2012 at 10:06

Check out this article

Highlights all of Marta's achievements in her career so far, pretty impressive in my opinion.

Why should it be all on Marta's shoulders the publicize the game in USA and around the world? It should be a team effort not just one person. 

I'm pretty sure she is aware of the negativity against her  and it must be very upsetting like it would be for anyone, I don't feel she deserves it. It seems contradictory to expect her to promote the game in certain countries yet boo her at the WWC.

Hopefully she has chosen a place to play where she will feel the most happy and enjoy playing the sport she loves.

At the end of the day only Marta knows her true feelings and motives. 

Comment by Izzy on February 23, 2012 at 3:42

@Diane, the problem is not that she did not promoted the sport in USA, the biggest problem is that in USA is like a impossible mission a foreign female soccer player be famous there. WPS was ingenuous when they thought that Marta could be a female Beckham's version. The context is completely different. Soccer is not the most important sport in USA like is in the most part of european countries and in Brazil . The small public of men's soccer league in USA is the latin american comunity that live in USA, when I said latin american comunity I want to say man latin american, that don't see soccer like a women's sport, because in their patriarcal culture,  soccer is only a male sport. The other bigger problem is Marta not be a american, if she was born in USA she probably would be very famous and has a lot of publicity, because American usually is proud about its people. I can be wrong... but how I can see... american is usually more proud about their country than their soccer team or basketball, per example. Because they are very nationalist. In Brazil, people prefer that their soccer team win a important championship than brazilian national team win the World Cup. I am not saying that Brazilian way is right or American way... is only a cultural thing... USA always give much more value to a person that born there that a foreign people, that is their opponent in big competitions. Marta always will be for americans the "bad guy", any other female player that play in US-WNT will be more important and more "famous" than her. Birgit Prinz already was three times the best player in the world and already played in USA...soccer didn't developed there because her...probably she is most unpopular there than Marta. The true is, american will always talk about Mia Hamm, Wambach, Solo, Rapinoe, Alex Morgan or any other american player,but its happens  not because they are cute, skillful or a lider, but only because they are american.

Comment by Diane on February 23, 2012 at 2:28

@Izzy - I appreciate your perspective. I am aware of most of Marta's history and yes, she has accomplished a lot on her own. As a US fan of the game I am commenting on the time that she played here. Everyone respects her skills on the field, but during her time in the US we did not see all the things you say about what she does in Brazil and Sweden. Maybe as she does get older she will be more comfortable about promoting the game outside of those two countries.

Comment by Izzy on February 23, 2012 at 1:02

Well, she is very popular in Brazil and Sweden... she always is invited to tv shows, events, radio and big newspapers and online news always are talking about her... she already did propaganda to Samsung, Coca Cola, Puma, Renault... I think didnt exist one brazilian person that don't know who is Marta and don't like her... and she is very popular in Sweden too... her contract with Tyreso was a big thing in Sweden, with a lot of publicity. Marta also usually does a lot of charity... she played in male soccer events... to raise funds.. with Ronaldo, Zidane, Neymar... she is the only female soccer player that already did it. She is a member of ONU, to improve the female rights, she already travelled to Serra Leoa and other african countries. I think people forgot that she started to play professionaly with 14 years old, when she went alone to play to Vasco da Gama, and since them she is for her own and is out home.... with 17 she was contracted for Umea and stayed there for 5 years and after went to USA. She is very young and without any study. The most part of american players go to the university and after they will play like a professional player. Amy Rodriguez's age is more near of Marta's age than Wambach or Hope Solo age. So people shouldnt expect see she writing blogs or articles or posting pics or comments in tt...that american player usually do...she is a typical brazilian soccer player... the life was her most important teacher and she born to play soccer... and she does her best doing it.

Comment by Diane on February 23, 2012 at 0:03

My impression from people I have spoken to that have a negative opinion of Marta is that she takes from the game, but doesn't give anything back. She has played for big paychecks wherever she's gone and you never see her promoting the game. As the best female footballer in the world for 5 years running people expect her to be the face of the sport. As she gets older her choice of where to play may well be based on many other things than money,so I'm not surprised she's playing in Sweden. I don't hate Marta, but I am disappointed that she hasn't done more, in a public way, for the game.