Orlando Delight captain Marta will stay with the membership after signing a two-year extension, .
“Coming off essentially the most profitable season in our Membership’s historical past and, personally, the most effective of her skilled profession, re-signing Marta was a key enterprise precedence for us throughout this offseason,” Delight vp of sporting operations and sporting director Haley Carter mentioned in an announcement. “The impression she has made on our workforce, our locker room and our neighborhood is obvious, after all by her unimaginable ability as a participant, however much more so by her selfless and exemplary management type. We’re thrilled to have secured her as a member of the Delight for the following two years and sit up for seeing what extra we are going to accomplish throughout her tenure.”
The 38-year-old Brazilian midfielder has been with the membership since 2017.
An announcement on Marta’s future was teased on Wednesday night time, with many believing that the worldwide star, who scored 119 occasions in 204 appearances with Brazil, could be saying her retirement.
The video that the Delight posted on Thursday morning confirmed an emotional Marta chatting with the membership’s followers, main the viewer to consider she was shifting on … till the reduce to a dancing Marta exclaiming, “I am staying residence!” with fireworks going off within the background.
The Delight are coming off a 2024 season the place the franchise claimed its first and in solely its second playoff look. Marta scored 11 occasions — her highest complete since her first season in Orlando — in the course of the common season and twice extra in the course of the postseason, the place they defeated the Chicago Pink Stars, Kansas Metropolis Present and Washington Spirit.
Marta’s play in the course of the 2024 season led to her being named a finalist for each league MVP and Midfielder of the 12 months. She was additionally named to NWSL Greatest XI First Crew and the 2024 FIFPRO Girls’s World XI.
Marta joined the Delight in 2017 and has performed in 128 video games, scoring 42 targets and recording 19 assists. Representing Brazil, she performed in six World Cups and scored a report 17 targets. She additionally appeared in 5 Olympics, serving to Brazil win two silver medals.
In April, she introduced her retirement from worldwide play.