The Brazil icon proved she still has plenty of talent in her boots during an iconic display in the Copa America Femenina final against Colombia.
- Marta scored brilliant brace for Brazil in Copa America Femenina final
- The No10 wins her fourth continental title with the women’s national team
- Veteran thankful for her team-mates after missing in penalty shootout
They say “a queen never loses her crown.” But not even all the world’s best sayings could sum that phrase up better than Marta’s performance in the final of the CONMEBOL Copa America Femenina 2025.
With two stunning goals, the No10 led Brazil to glory against Colombia to help secure a ninth South American trophy for the women’s national team. Considered by many to be the greatest women’s player of all time, Marta showed in the final that she still has plenty of talent in her boots.
The 39-year-old entered the field in the 82nd minute, with the game then tied at 2-2 and almost immediately witnessed Linda Caicedo slide the ball to Mayra Ramírez to finish, seemingly handing the trophy to Colombia.
In the final moments of the game, however, fate offered Marta a second chance. And the most magical left foot women’s football has ever seen showed that she still has tricks up her sleeve. With a beautiful and powerful strike from outside the area, Brazil’s queen tied the game 3-3 in the 96th minute.
“I was already anticipating that the ball could bounce back to me and I would have to be under control to strike it hard and hit the goal. I had it on my mind, but obviously there are things that we can’t explain with so much clarity,” Marta said. “Hitting a shot like that, it was a banger. Perfect. I think that even a men’s football goalkeeper couldn’t save it, because it was extremely fast.”
The draw took the match into extra-time — and it didn’t take long for her to show her magic again. In the 105th minute, Marta was on the end of a gorgeous cross from Angelina. The initial idea was to go for a header, but whilst the ball was in flight, she realised she wouldn’t be able to make it.
A quick bit of improvisation led to her getting her right foot on the ball and diverting it into the back of the net. Brazil held onto their lead almost until the end, but just as extra-time was about to expire, Leicy Santos curled in a perfect free-kick to tie the game once again.
The game went to penalties, hostile territory in Marta’s past. She had already missed a few crucial spot-kicks for Brazil with the most significant being in the FIFA Women’s World Cup China 2007™ final, against Germany.
She was tasked with taking the fifth penalty, potentially the decider if she could convert it. However she was stopped in her tracks by Kate Tapia.
“I was pleading with God to not punish me so harshly, after coming into the game like I did, being blessed with the equaliser, and then scoring another goal.” Marta admitted.
“We ended up making a mistake and they equalised. Then on penalties I had the chance to clinch the title and I missed it. But I have these amazing girls, I walked back after the penalty feeling shook, but they didn’t let me falter, always trusting that we would do it, that Lorena would save the penalties.”
Overall, there were eight penalties for each team, and it finished with Lorena’s save from a penalty taken by Jorelyn Carabali, sending Marta to the top of the podium once again.
Even though the final was a Marta masterclass, the rest of the competition showed that she can still contribute a lot to this Brazilian women’s national team. Despite coming off the bench in three of the six Copa America Femenina matches, she finished the tournament with three goals scored, three assists, and as the player of the tournament.
“I went in the game focused, knowing that I could help the team. I told my team-mates that I was fine, confident, that they should look for me on the pitch,” she added. “This night it was like it was meant to be like this. I talked to myself, like, ‘Be calm, breathe, because you have the potential to help these girls and make a difference.’ It is something you can’t explain.”
Marta announced her farewell to the FIFA Women’s World Cup™ after the 2023 edition in Australia and New Zealand but a comeback is not completely out of the question now at Brazil 2027.
One thing is for sure, though, everyone now definitively knows there is still fuel in Marta’s tank. She hasn’t lost her crown yet.
