News : Brazil's Marta – One of the loudest in the fight for justice – sport

Marta Vieira da Silva went a long way to the penalty area. Nobody has scored a goal in this game so far. And no one had yet achieved what Marta would achieve in a moment. The ball was ready in the 74th minute at the penalty spot. Marta took a deep breath, ran, grabbed all her determination in this one shot and the ball flew in the 74th minute flat in the lower right corner.

So it looked like, this historic goal of the footballer from Brazil. The fact that Italy were also in the last sixteen of this World Cup, where either hosts France or Germany are the next opponents, has been less of an issue since then: as the first person ever, Marta has now scored 17 goals in a World Cup.

Since 2014, former German international Miroslav Klose has held the record with his 16 goals, followed by Ronaldo (15), Gerd Müller, Birgit Prinz and Abby Wambach (14 each). Now Marta, one of the most successful and defining footballers in the world, has been at the top of the statistics since Tuesday. "Do you think he changes his mind about his resignation and will play again at the next World Cup?" she asked a reporter, grinning, and later became more serious: "Making records is natural when you're doing your best, with love, I've been waiting for this moment, we're breaking many barriers, and this record represents a lot not me, it belongs to all of us, I share it with everyone who fights for more justice. "

Marta has set even more records

The 33-year-old is a six-time world footballer - Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi won the trophy five times each. Here, too, Marta, who has been voted eleven times in a row since 2004 in this prestigious election among the best three players, has set a new overall record. She has won the Uefa Cup, five Swedish championships, twice the Copa Libertadores Femenina, 2004 and 2008 silver at the Olympic Games and lost in the 2007 World Cup only in the final against Germany.

But the striker under contract with Orlando Pride in the US professional league is not, despite this impressive collection, solely dedicated to chasing the ball and titles. She is one of the loudest footballers in the fight for justice and equal opportunities - and thus not only with their exceptional ball treatment an inspiration for others.

When she set Klose's record in the 2-2 draw against Australia last Thursday, she was also the first man to have scored in five World Cup finals. Right after her goal, Marta pointed to her shoe. Since July 2018 she no longer has a personal outfitters because she rejects any offers. Too big for her is the difference in appreciation, which is also evident in the reward. And so on their football boots no logo of one of the major sporting goods manufacturers to see. She has taped two strips that go from blue to pink, as a sign of protest.

"It was a goal for all women," Marta said on Tuesday: "It's about the role of women in all areas, it's not just about sports, it's a fight for equality at all levels." She still has at least one game at this World Cup to play with more goals - maybe even with the title.