Marta sat in her chair on the turf at Sahlen's Stadium with her Western New York Flash teammates last week and watched a six-minute ESPN documentary based on her career.
"I feel very happy in such a short time in my career already to (be the focus of ) something like this," the 25-year-old superstar from Brazil said through an interpreter.
When the Women's World Cup begins June 26 in Germany, Authentic Soccer Jerseys Marta will be the focus of a Brazilian team seeking its first major championship.
On Sunday, Marta played in her last Women's Professional Soccer game, a 1-0 loss to the Philadelphia Independence, before joining the Brazilian national team. She has three goals in seven games for the Flash (6-1-2),
chelsea jersey who are in first place of the six-team WPS.
The Brazilians have come close to glory on the international stage, losing 2008 and 2004 Olympic gold-medal games to the United States and falling 2-0 to Germany in the 2007 World Cup final.
"I hope we can make it to the final and win it this time," barcelona jersey Marta said.
Marta arrived two months ago to the Flash, an expansion team that is based in Buffalo but plays its home games in Rochester.
ESPN chose five other figures in women's soccer for HERoics, a series of six short documentaries that will be broadcast on ESPN2 at 7 p.m. ET on June 25.
Two other players featured in the series are England's Kelly Smith, a forward for the Boston Breakers who has overcome alcoholism, and Australia's fiery Lisa De Vanna, who has been known to fight with teammates as well as opposing players.
Marta was chosen because she is simply the best. argentina soccer jersey She has been named FIFA World Player of the Year the past five years. No other man or woman has won the award that many times.
She's also been MVP of WPS the past two years, leading FC Gold Pride to the title last fall before the San Francisco-based team folded.
Marta's in the final season of the WPS contract she signed three years ago that pays her about $500,000 a season, according to the Associated Press.
"The thing about Marta is as long as the team is winning, that's most important to her," said Flash goalie Brittany Cameron, who has been her teammate the past three seasons. "She's happy if the team's winning. kaka brazil jersey I mean, even if she doesn't have her best day, the attention she gets helps other people on the field. That's what's so special about her."
Marta hails from a small town of just 11,000. She stands 5-feet-4 and is wispy strong. But it is her feet, those lightning quick feet, and skill-oozing moves that often leave people in awe and defenders in her rear-view mirror.
"I did nothing special to develop my skills. Maybe it's something I was born with but I practice every day to get better," she said.
Marta was toughened growing up by playing against boys. The documentary covers that and her sojourn to Sweden. Officials from Swedish club Umea called her several times a day to talk her into leaving home as a 17-year-old to play professionally there only months after her 2003 World Cup debut. In four seasons with Umea, she scored 111 goals in 103 games.
Gold Cup continues: didier drogba jersey chelsea The U.S. men's national team will play Jamaica on Sunday in the Gold Cup quarterfinals in Washington.
Jozy Altidore's goal in the ninth minute was enough for a 1-0 victory over Guadeloupe on Tuesday. The Americans finished second in Group C, the first time they failed to win their group in Gold Cup play.
"Our goal has always been to get to the final," U.S. coach Bob Bradley said. david beckham galaxy jersey
"We understand from experience what it means in group play. You have to deal with each game and find a way to advance. I think there are things there that bring the group together, and now we get ready for the knockout phase and approach it one game at a time."
Said midfielder Landon Donovan: "We want to be better. This is a game we should have won 3 or 4-0. But the reality is we won so that's all that matters."
The quarterfinals begin Saturday with a doubleheader at New Meadowlands Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. Costa Rica plays Honduras followed by Mexico vs. Guatemala. Sunday, the U.S. plays Jamaica at 3 p.m. ET (Fox Soccer, Univision) followed by Panama vs. El Salvador. brazil soccer jersey The Gold Cup winner qualifies for the 2013 Confederations Cup in Brazil.
Briefly: San Jose Earthquakes striker Ryan Johnson scored the lone goal to send Jamaica to the quarterfinals with a win over Honduras on Monday. Jamaica also beat Grenada and Guatemala to win its group. …Major League Soccer announced individual tickets for the AT&T MLS All-Star Game on July 27 are sold out. A limited number of seats are available as part of a five-game pack through the New York Red Bulls. The game featuring MLS All-Stars against Manchester United will be played at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, N.J.
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