Marta has been one of football’s greatest living legends for years now, and FIFA is immortalising that legacy with an award in her honour.

From 2025, the ‘Marta Award’ will be given to the best goal scored in women’s football at FIFA’s annual awards ceremony. Previously, both men and women players could be nominated for the FIFA Puskás Award, with recent nominees including Linda Caicedo and Alessia Russo.

The Brazilian icon is one of the game’s most prolific goalscorers, currently holding the record for most World Cup goals with 17 goals. Only Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé come close, with 13 and 12 goals each.

In addition to her impressive goal tally, she became the first player to score at five straight Olympics and holds six Player of the Year awards to her name. To celebrate her outstanding career achievements, Marta received this year’s FIFA Special Award, previously won by Christine Sinclair and Pelé.

Marta announced that the 2023 Women’s World Cup – the sixth edition of the tournament she has played in – would be her last, and though she won’t be lighting up the pitch forever, FIFA just ensured that her name will continue to inspire young ballers for generations to come.