Six-time FIFA World Player of the Year Marta signed a new deal with the Orlando Pride, staying put at the club after their historic NWSL Shield and NWSL Championship-winning season in 2024.
Marta inked a two-year deal after going out of contract at the end of last year, keeping her at the club until the end of the 2026 season. The club announced her decision to stay on Thursday in a video posted on social media, in which Marta confirmed the decision while sitting in the team’s locker room with their new trophies flanking her.
“Orlando, what an incredible ride we have had together,” Marta said in the video. “From the moment I stepped my feet into the airport eight years ago, you made this club and this city my home. Week in, week out, home and away, you have showed up and have made this the best club to play for. It’s been the honor of a lifetime to represent this community, to be your captain and to bring the first-ever league championship to the city of Orlando. That’s why I want you to hear from me – I’m staying home!”
The 38-year-old Marta was one of the Pride’s first marquee signings, joining the club after their inaugural season in 2016. The team made the playoffs in her first season in Orlando but soon became one of the NWSL’s bottom-dwellers. Marta stayed the course despite their struggles as well as experiencing some valleys in her own career in terms of form.
Both she and the team enjoyed impressive highs in 2024, though. Marta was the captain as the Pride won the NWSL Shield, their first-ever trophy, and then became the first team since 2019 to win the NWSL Championship in the same year. Marta played a key role in those successes, scoring 11 goals last season and earning a nomination for the MVP award and NWSL Midfielder of the Year. She was also honored in the NWSL’s Best XI in 2024.
KVSP