Marta shocks the NWSL at 38: How the global legend remains unstoppable

At 38, the legendary number 10 seems to have made peace with time to show that age is no barrier for those talented and in love. Living one of the most remarkable times of her career in 2024, the queen of soccer once again manages to get solidified as one of the most impacting players in the NWSL.

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During a season in which many would think she'd be slowing down, Marta's doing just the opposite. The forward, who has already scored seven goals in this NWSL edition, outpaces other top Brazilian athletes in the league like Adriana and Bia Zaneratto. Being the top scorer among 12 compatriots in one of the most competitive leagues in the world isn't an easy job, but with Marta, her skill and game vision make it seem as if she is floating her way through the competition.

She sealed the deal in Orlando Pride's 3-1 victory over the Houston Dash in a recent NWSL match. Beyond that, Marta proved that her energy and hunger for victory remain high, pulling off a burst of speed in the final minutes and leaving two defenders in the dust before finding the back of the net. For those who believe that the best years of her career were well behind her, 2024 stands in testimony that Marta has plenty of tricks up her sleeve.

Surpassing Her Own Records

Unsatiated to compete, Marta wants to be better than herself in each game. In 2024, she has already overcome her statistics of 2019 when she had scored nine goals. For now, she scored 10 goals for this year, seven with Orlando Pride, and three with the national team-she is stacking records and silencing those doubts about her capability of remaining at the top.

In addition to the goals, the attacking midfielder has become an important cog in Orlando Pride's mechanism. So far, Marta has played 1,498 minutes across 19 matches, and she could soon surpass her 2021 game time, which saw her register 1,588 minutes on the field. And with four regular-season games still to go, 2024 could well go on to be one of her best seasons ever.

The Resurgence of Orlando Pride

Since Marta's arrival in 2017, Orlando Pride has never lived up to the expectations that took them into the NWSL playoffs back then. Her arrival back then had given the team such momentum, and immediately, an impact was felt: 13 goals in 24 matches, finishing the regular season in third place. Pride's hopes to hoist the title did not see the light of day, though, as they were eliminated in the semifinals.

But this time, it's a different script in 2024, as Orlando Pride are the ones to beat, comfortably leading the regular season. They have earned 54 points so far, seven ahead of the second-place team. Even more impressively, however, is their 23-game unbeaten streak-a record that underlines how strong this season's squad has been.

The Future Still Shines Bright

What is really remarkable about Marta's journey is this: the ability to constantly reinvent herself. Most athletes come to that point in their careers where their bodies cannot keep pace with their talent and the wear of high-level soccer grinds them down. Marta defies the logic outright. At 38, she runs, she dribbles, she scores, she leads with that same intensity she had at 20. Not to mention, she is back from an ACL tear.

That sort of longevity does not occur by accident. The professionalism, the prepping of her body, and extra work off of the pitch have all combined to keep her going strong year after year. But there is something more there, an unstoppable love for the game. Marta plays with a range of emotions; she seems to be in love with what she is doing, which pops out in each and every game, with every touch of the ball, in every sprint towards the goal.

And the queen just proved one more time that for her, age is just a number. Her mentality is of an eternal champion, one who's already established herself as the greatest player of all time. That's great because we're not ready for goodbyes.