More than anyone else, she built the NWSL. Will she be a champion this weekend?

When soccer legend Marta scored last week in the semifinals, in an incredible breakaway that ended with four defenders falling over, the Orlando Pride home crowd went wild and rightly so—it was a stunning, almost impossible goal, one that only the Brazilian superstar could have pulled off.

Marta is known as many things: the GOAT, the queen, the best to have ever played the game. Her skill and accomplishments are undeniable, and even at 38 years old, she’s had an MVP nominee-level season. In her long career with Brazil and various clubs, she’s shown her talent, command of the field, and ability to score exceptional goals over and over again.

Now, Marta is competing for the NWSL Championship, and it’s close enough to taste. After so many years of the Pride struggling near the bottom of the table, they’ve finally turned into what they were supposed to be all along: a powerhouse team befitting of their esteemed captain.

The Pride won their first Shield this year in a nearly undefeated season. Now, they’re just one win away from enshrining their success in the ultimate victory, the NWSL Championship.

Marta, more than anyone else, paved the way for women’s soccer to become the sport it is today. We’re on the precipice of a historic first league title—for both the Pride and for Marta herself.

The story of the game in the 21st century is Marta’s story

Marta started playing soccer as a child in Brazil, where she was the only girl, the field was dirt, and the balls were sometimes grocery bags. Often, she was told she couldn’t play just because she was a girl.

Even when Marta first started playing professionally in 2000, opportunities for female footballers were scarce. The world’s first fully professional women’s soccer league was only just being founded, and two leagues would fold in the US before the NWSL finally found its footing.

For a long time, Marta stood alone. Her skill meant she dominated the soccer landscape, inspiring a generation of young girls. At her peak, she was untouchable. She won the FIFA World Player of the Year award six times, including every year between 2006 and 2010. She scored 17 World Cup goals, more than any other player, woman or man.

In Brazil, her success elevated the women’s game to greater levels, forcing people to take it seriously. In the NWSL, she saw the league transform from struggling to thriving, with sold out stadiums and huge media deals. Fans flocked to watch her play.

Now, in 2024, the NWSL is coming off a record year. The league expanded to 14 teams, attendance surpassed 2 million, and the players’ union signed a CBA with a higher salary cap and expanded player protections.

Even CPKC Stadium in Kansas City, where the championship will be played, is a sign of the growth of the sport. The gleaming riverside stadium—the first ever built specifically for women’s professional soccer—opened earlier this year.

It’s a long way away from a dirt field.

A force multiplier for women’s soccer

Perhaps Marta’s greatest legacy is the extent to which she has inspired her peers, all of whom speak extremely highly of her.

Barbra Banda, the Zambian striker who joined Marta at the Pride this year to astounding success, ​​described the opportunity to play with her teammate as “a dream come true.” She added, “I’ve always been looking up to Marta since I was young.”

Sophia Smith, the US forward who recently competed against Marta in the Olympics, said she grew up watching Marta and looked to the way she played for inspiration.

“We wouldn’t be here without Marta, who changed the game forever and continues to change the game,” Smith said. “For her to play in our league has helped so much.”

Marta has not yet announced her plans for retirement from club soccer. She recently told The Athletic that she wants to play “at least two more years,” although she retired from international football this year.

Win or lose, Saturday’s championship will represent a culmination of everything Marta has done for the sport. As she shares the field with younger stars like Banda, she has paved the way for them to thrive. Once a singular talent, she now plays in a league bursting with potential.

And although women’s soccer still faces challenges, it is in a far better place than it was when Marta first started playing. “I left my family behind when I was 14 to chase the dream of playing football, a sport that hasn’t always been considered to be for women,” Marta said in a statement at the 2024 Olympics, her final tournament with Brazil. “Today things are very different.”

This weekend, we see if the legend finally gets her flowers.