WATCH: Brazil legend Marta makes first appearance in 11 months after ACL injury with SheBelieves Cup outing
- Knee injury suffered in March 2022
- Long road to recovery
- Back with an assist in winning cause
WHAT HAPPENED? The 36-year-old forward, who is a six-time winner of the FIFA World Player of the Year award, found herself in familiar surroundings as she took to the field at Exploria Stadium in Florida – the venue she graces at club level with NWSL side the Orlando Pride. Marta’s appearance was her first in 327 days after suffering serious knee ligament damage in March 2022, but – after receiving a rousing reception following her introduction off the bench and taking on the captain’s armband – she showed no sign of rust when setting up the match-winning goal for team-mate Debinha.
🪄 @martavieiras10 🤝 @Debinha7 ⚽️
— Seleção Feminina de Futebol (@SelecaoFeminina) February 17, 2023
🎯 O gol da vitória pelo ângulo da CBF TV! pic.twitter.com/3N0wTJu2NJ
THE BIGGER PICTURE: It took just four minutes for Marta to make a decisive contribution for Brazil, with the South American legend – who has 119 international goals to her name – earning an 180th cap for her country.
WHAT NEXT? Marta told Orlando Pride’s official Twitter account of returning to action: “It was amazing to come back here and play for Brazil, but I'm going to play soon for Pride, too, so I'll see you soon.”