Marta earns silver but is honored like a champion at gold medal match – Equalizer Soccer

Marta waves to the group after being introduced together with her silver medal through the girls’s soccer medal cermony on the Paris 2024 Olympic at Parc des Princes in Paris, France. (Photograph Credit score: Ane Frosaker / SPP)

PARIS — Shortly after the US girls’s nationwide group gained the gold medal match on the 2024 Paris Olympics on Saturday Aug. 10, the medal-awarding ceremony came about. The winners of bronze, Germany; silver, Brazil, and gold, the US, lined up on a makeshift podium on one finish of the sector and obtained medals, one-by-one, because the announcers learn out their names.

Gamers like Alexandra Popp from Germany and Mallory Swanson of the US, who scored the game-winning purpose to clinch the gold medal, obtained notable applause. However the crowd, made up virtually evenly of U.S. and Brazil followers, roared loudest collectively for one participant – Marta. 

Marta Vieira da Silva, the 38-year-old Brazilian phenom who plans to retire from worldwide soccer on the finish of the yr, has led a monumental profession that will probably be unimaginable for any future participant to copy.

Whereas she will probably be returning dwelling to Brazil with a silver medal round her neck, an elusive gold will stay uncaptured throughout her 17-year profession with the Seleção. However the cheers and whistles she obtained have been overwhelming sufficient to persuade anybody within the crowd she could be receiving an honorary gold medal herself.  

Irrespective of which group gained or misplaced Saturday’s match, the sport was at all times going to really feel like considerably of a tribute to Marta. She plans to retire from worldwide soccer on the finish of 2024, so Saturday’s match is more likely to be her final look in a serious sport for the Seleção, if not her final look with the nationwide group in any respect.

Moreover, the anticipation for the star’s attainable final nationwide group look was heightened by the query of whether or not or not she would seem in any respect. Coming off of a two-game suspension for a pink card she incurred within the group stage match towards Spain, Marta was not included in Saturday’s beginning lineup. Followers have been left questioning not provided that she and her group might earn her a fairytale ending, but additionally if she could be given the prospect to combat for gold in any respect. 

Marta finally made her look within the 61st minute, subbing in for teammate Ludmila. The U.S. had simply damaged open the scoring 4 minutes earlier to take the lead in what had actually been a sport dominated by Brazil — a minimum of by means of the primary half.

The Seleção managed possession and outplayed the USWNT within the first 45, successful extra 50-50 balls and taking extra pictures. A Seventeenth-minute purpose by the damaging Ludmila — who by some means managed to dodge the formidable Naomi Girma — was dominated offside, however it despatched an early warning to the USWNT that Brazil was executing its plan. 

So when the group erupted for Marta’s entrance within the second half, it was a louder reiteration of the celebratory noise from the Brazil followers that could possibly be heard all through the whole match. The Brazilian followers didn’t fairly outnumber the U.S. followers, however they sat collectively, sang collectively, and cheered collectively. They have been additionally simpler to determine – the brilliant inexperienced and yellow donned by followers of the Seleção stands out way over the pink, (largely) white, and blue sported by U.S. followers. 

However finally, neither the keenness from the Brazilian followers nor the drive to ship Marta dwelling with a storybook ending was sufficient for the Seleção. The USWNT took dwelling their fifth Olympic gold medal, and it was a well-deserved win.

The U.S. got here again from taking part in down within the first half, and after Swanson’s 57th-minute purpose, the vitality of the sport shifted. Brazil had a couple of extra nice possibilities, and required a couple of heroic moments from goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher.

Finally, nevertheless, Brazil capitulated to the USWNT’s offensive aggression that surged after Swanson’s purpose. The final half-hour of the match featured a Brazil group that seemed extra frazzled than they did at any level within the first 60, and the U.S. got here again from a sluggish begin to earn the win. 

For followers of the USWNT, the win was joyous. The group battled and beat a tricky opponent whereas seeming to be on a path in the direction of true resurgence below new head coach Emma Hayes after disappointing finishes within the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and the 2023 FIFA World Cup.

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Through the Olympic match Hayes made some predictable strikes, like lastly placing Trinity Rodman, Swanson, and Sophia Smith collectively up entrance. However she additionally made some dangerous ones, like benching USWNT stalwart Rose Lavelle within the gold medal match in trade for amateur Korbin Albert. Finally, nevertheless, her selections paid off, and the U.S. seems to be again on monitor to reclaim a high spot within the FIFA rankings (they at present sit at fifth). 

Hayes was particularly overcome with gratitude and awe after the sport, telling reporters that she was “so emotional,” and “determined to do nicely for this nation,” to which she credit a lot of her teaching success.

However some followers of the USWNT, or the ladies’s sport at giant, could really feel bittersweet in regards to the outcomes, even when their allegiance stays to the US or Emma Hayes — due to Marta.

All through the years since their 2019 FIFA World Cup victory, whereas the USWNT hovered someplace in the course of the FIFA high ten desk, worldwide stars, like Aitana Bonmati of Spain and Christine Sinclair of Canada, have been capable of win main worldwide tournaments which was not at all times attainable for them when the USWNT was notably dominant.

To have the ability to add a World Cup or Olympic victory to at least one’s resume is essentially the most deserved reward for gamers like Bonmati and Sinclair, and plenty of others, who always break information, stun followers, and alter the ladies’s sport for good.

Marta, one of the impactful and memorable feminine footballers in historical past, is not going to be equally awarded with the best of honors. However, as she accepted her silver medal and heard the big cheers from the stands – from Brazil and U.S. followers alike – she could have felt the veneration and respect she has so totally earned.