Marta’s Women’s World Cup career ends with Brazil eliminated in group stage

A soccer legend’s Women’s World Cup career came to a close on Wednesday.

Marta played her final match at the tournament in Brazil’s 0-0 draw against Jamaica in Melbourne, Australia. The Brazilians needed a victory to make it out of Group F but were unable to break the Jamaican defense, ending their run in the group stage for the first time since 1995.

Marta ends her Women’s World Cup career as the tournament’s all-time leading goalscorer with 17 tallies.

She debuted at the event in 2003 as a 17-year-old and helped the team reach that year’s quarterfinals. Four years later, she dominated the 2007 tournament, earning Golden Ball and Golden Shoe honors after compiling seven goals and five assists. Brazil was on the cusp of its first Women’s World Cup title before falling to Germany in the final. Marta and Co. reached the quarterfinals in 2011 and were eliminated in the Round of 16 in 2015 and 2019.

The 37-year-old told media before the tournament that this would be her sixth and final Women’s World Cup with Brazil.

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Wednesday’s match marked Marta’s first start at this year’s tournament. She was later substituted in the 81st minute to finish out her sixth and final Women’s World Cup appearance.

Outside of the Women’s World Cup, Marta has been named FIFA World Player of the Year six times and is Brazil’s all-time leading scorer with 117 goals.

“In 2003, nobody knew Marta,” she told reporters ahead of Wednesday’s match. “Twenty years later, we have become the reference for many women all over the world. We opened doors for equality.”

On the other side of Wednesday’s match, Jamaica advanced past the Women’s World Cup group stage for the first time.

The team will face the winner of Group H at 4 a.m. ET/1 a.m. PT on Tuesday, Aug. 8, in the Round of 16.