The U.S. women’s national team’s attacking stars are among the many admirers Brazilian legend Marta has accumulated over the years.
Just don’t expect Trinity Rodman and Sophia Smith to hold back in Saturday’s gold medal match.
The USWNT and Brazil will face off in the final of the 2024 Olympics women’s soccer competition. By itself, that would be an event of massive significance, but the game will be spiced up further by the fact that Marta has said she will retire from international play following the Paris Games.
That effectively leaves a USWNT side full of Marta fans having to choose between going all out to win, or letting the six-time FIFA World Player of the Year end her national team career with Brazil’s first-ever win at a World Cup or Olympics.
Per Rodman, the ‘conundrum’ has a clear answer.
“We want that gold, so I’m not gonna say too much on that,” said the Washington Spirit forward with a laugh. “Love her, but we want to win.”
“I know she would want us to give her our best game,” added Smith, whose goal sent the USWNT past Germany in a tense semifinal. “That’s the highest level of respect you can give someone.”
It is something of a surprise that the USWNT will be the final opponent in Marta’s incredible career with Brazil. A first-half red card for a dangerously high kick in a 2-0 group-stage loss to Spain resulted in a red card for Marta, who was suspended for As Canarinhas‘ quarterfinal and semifinal matches.
Brazil’s younger generation extended the legend’s national team career for one more game, seeing off France 1-0 in the last-eight before shocking World Cup champions Spain in a wild 4-2 semifinal.
After removing the mystery over whether the USWNT would drop its ruthless streak just this once, both players made their admiration for the Orlando Pride icon clear.
“Marta’s for sure like, the player I looked up to growing up. Whenever I would watch highlights of players with my dad, it was always Marta,” explained Smith.
“We get to play against her in the NWSL, which we’re really lucky for that, and to play against her in this magnitude of the game, I think is so special.”
USWNT stars: Marta ‘changed the game’
Rodman declared the 38-year-old Brazil captain “a legacy forever,” before adding that women’s soccer worldwide can be seen from a pre-Marta and post-Marta lens.
“It goes without saying: Marta has changed the game of soccer around the world,” stated Rodman. “She’s such a talented soccer player, but also a great human, which speaks volumes. I’ve always looked up to her, I think we all kind of do.”
Smith agreed, saying that players like she and Rodman “wouldn’t be here probably without a Marta, who did change the game forever, and is continuing to change the game.
“I don’t think words can really describe how grateful we are for a player like Marta to just advocate for young players like us.”
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