Sophie Camplejohn, Grade 11
UWC Pearson
I bet you have heard of Pelé, one of the greatest soccer players of all time, but have you heard of ‘Pelé con faldas?’ (Pelé with a skirt). Nicknamed by Pelé himself, Marta Viera Da Silva is a soccer player for the Women’s Brazil team. Her story is wildly inspiring. She grew up in one of the poorest cities in Brazil, Dois Riachos Alagoas, practicing soccer every day by using plastic bags tied together to act as a soccer ball. She is Brazilian and Swedish, speaking both Portuguese and Swedish. Lastly, she plays for the Orlando Orgullo and the Brazil Women’s National Team. Her parents refused to let her play soccer. Yet, she went on to win FIFA’s best player in the world six times - 5 times consecutively. She is famous for her flair as a player, with exceptional skill on the ball with quick feet. Another aspect of Marta that makes her stand out is her notorious lipstick.
In 2019, Marta scored her 17th goal within five World cups - a record for both men and women. During the game, she sported a dark lipstick color, which she justified by saying, ‘I always wear lipstick. Not that color, but today I said ‘I am going to dare.’ I tried it, and I think it was good. The color is of blood because we had to leave blood on the pitch. Now I am going to use it every game.’ Marta is not only considered one of the best soccer players in the world, but also one of the most beautiful. I only mention this as she proves wrong the stereotype of beautiful women being incapable. She had every obstacle to face for her gender, but she persevered through it all. In fact, Women’s soccer was illegal in Brazil until 1981.
In 2015, schoolgirls were still discouraged from playing, there were no good development programs, professional opportunities were scarce, and the pay was pathetic. Few fans paid attention to the women’s national team, despite the religious following of the men’s national team for Brazil. Marta has brought a new level to women’s soccer, both in the level of play and in the fan base. In 2010, she was named a UN goodwill ambassador.
One of my favorite goals of hers was in the 2007 World Cup when she was twenty-one. The game was against my home country’s team, the US At the time, and to this day, the US women’s national team is one of the most popular women’s teams. So, when Brazil was up against in 2007 for the World Cup, they were not only against their amazing talent but their impressive fan base. Furthermore, the US women’s national team was on a fifty-one-game winning streak. So, the stakes were high. However, Marta was unstoppable, and by far the best on the field, helping Brazil stay in control of the game. In the seventy-ninth minute of the game, with her back to US defender, Tina Ellertson, Marta flicked the ball up then kicked it over Ellertson’s shoulder, sprinting around her to catch up with the ball. She continued, beating yet another player who failed at stopping her impenetrable force. She nailed a goal past the keeper. This is a classic move of Marta’s - the goal-scoring machine.
It is roughly twenty-one years now from the first Women’s World Cup, where the US team dominated, winning the championship. There are many players on the US Women’s National Team that I am deeply inspired by, like: Mia Hamm, Michelle Akers, Abby Wambach, Alex Morgan, and, of course, Brandi Chastain. However, I chose to write about Marta Viera Da Silva as the message that she is constantly delivering to little girls. I remember watching her on TV, being interviewed after a 2-1 win against France. She looked dead on the camera and said, ‘the women’s game depends on you to survive,’ as she pointed at the camera. It touched me. So, I worked very hard to play soccer, practicing every day in my garage, even after soccer practice. Because, like Marta always says, ‘cry in the beginning, so you can smile in the end.’ I am surely smiling now.
In 2019, Marta scored her 17th goal within five World cups - a record for both men and women. During the game, she sported a dark lipstick color, which she justified by saying, ‘I always wear lipstick. Not that color, but today I said ‘I am going to dare.’ I tried it, and I think it was good. The color is of blood because we had to leave blood on the pitch. Now I am going to use it every game.’ Marta is not only considered one of the best soccer players in the world, but also one of the most beautiful. I only mention this as she proves wrong the stereotype of beautiful women being incapable. She had every obstacle to face for her gender, but she persevered through it all. In fact, Women’s soccer was illegal in Brazil until 1981.
In 2015, schoolgirls were still discouraged from playing, there were no good development programs, professional opportunities were scarce, and the pay was pathetic. Few fans paid attention to the women’s national team, despite the religious following of the men’s national team for Brazil. Marta has brought a new level to women’s soccer, both in the level of play and in the fan base. In 2010, she was named a UN goodwill ambassador.
One of my favorite goals of hers was in the 2007 World Cup when she was twenty-one. The game was against my home country’s team, the US At the time, and to this day, the US women’s national team is one of the most popular women’s teams. So, when Brazil was up against in 2007 for the World Cup, they were not only against their amazing talent but their impressive fan base. Furthermore, the US women’s national team was on a fifty-one-game winning streak. So, the stakes were high. However, Marta was unstoppable, and by far the best on the field, helping Brazil stay in control of the game. In the seventy-ninth minute of the game, with her back to US defender, Tina Ellertson, Marta flicked the ball up then kicked it over Ellertson’s shoulder, sprinting around her to catch up with the ball. She continued, beating yet another player who failed at stopping her impenetrable force. She nailed a goal past the keeper. This is a classic move of Marta’s - the goal-scoring machine.
It is roughly twenty-one years now from the first Women’s World Cup, where the US team dominated, winning the championship. There are many players on the US Women’s National Team that I am deeply inspired by, like: Mia Hamm, Michelle Akers, Abby Wambach, Alex Morgan, and, of course, Brandi Chastain. However, I chose to write about Marta Viera Da Silva as the message that she is constantly delivering to little girls. I remember watching her on TV, being interviewed after a 2-1 win against France. She looked dead on the camera and said, ‘the women’s game depends on you to survive,’ as she pointed at the camera. It touched me. So, I worked very hard to play soccer, practicing every day in my garage, even after soccer practice. Because, like Marta always says, ‘cry in the beginning, so you can smile in the end.’ I am surely smiling now.
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