2024 NWSL Championship Game: Marta deserves happy ending to up-and-down year

The 2024 NWSL Championship Game figures to be a star-studded affair. The Orlando Pride and the Washington Spirit were the top two seeds in the playoffs, and both managed to hold serve with two home playoff wins to reach Saturday night’s final in Kansas City. The game will feature two of the top four leading scorers, two of the top four leaders in shot attempts, and three of the five finalists for MVP honors.

The NWSL Final is set! Washington Spirit will face off against Orlando Pride. 🤜🤛 pic.twitter.com/175nyI6ohq

However, even though Barbra Banda is Orlando’s leading scorer and Trinity Rodman has returned from an injury late in the season to fuel Washington’s run to the title game, all eyes will be on the Pride’s Marta. The Brazilian legend has achieved just about everything a player can accomplish. Yet, she has never won an NWSL championship.

Winning the NWSL title could be the last bit of icing on Marta’s career. While this isn’t likely to be her last NWSL season, this could be Marta’s best chance to lift the trophy. The Pride has been on a magical run all season, including a 23-game unbeaten streak to begin the season. If Marta were to lead Orlando to the NWSL title after also winning the NWSL Shield, it would be a fitting end to her year and Orlando's amazing season.

What trophies has Marta won?

An NWSL championship is truly the last piece missing on Marta’s awards mantle. She has lifted trophies for her past clubs in Sweden and Brazil. She is a three-time Olympic Silver Medal winner and World Cup runner-up with Brazil in 2007. Individually, she won the Golden Ball and the Golden Boot at the 2007 World Cup, holds the record for most career goals in the FIFA Women’s World Cup with 17, and has won World Player of the Year honors six times.

Alas, Marta has not won an NWSL season, with this being her eighth season in the league. She has spent all eight seasons with Orlando, and this is just her second time playing in the playoffs with the Pride. After Orlando dominated for much of the regular season, winning the NWSL Shield, the Pride is well-positioned to win the NWSL championship and fill the missing spot in Marta’s trophy case.

Marta's rocky year

Of course, even if Orlando wins the NWSL Championship Game, Marta is unlikely to ride off into the sunset. Despite announcing her retirement from international soccer earlier this year, Marta has indicated she wants to play at least two more seasons with her club. Yet, the timing couldn’t be better for Marta to lift the NWSL trophy.

Earlier this year, the stars were aligned for Marta to end her international career on top. Brazil reached the finals of the 2024 Olympics, giving Marta and her teammates the chance to avenge two previous defeats and finally win gold after settling for silver medals in 2004 and 2008. But it was not meant to be, as the United States beat Brazil 1-0 in the Gold Medal Match.

The memory of that bitter defeat at the Olympics could be more easily forgotten if Marta were able to lift the trophy with Orlando on Saturday night. It would also cap off one of the most important years of her career with a championship. For Orlando to open the season with a 23-match unbeaten streak, win the NWSL Shield, and finish the regular season with 18 wins, six draws, and just two losses, it would be cruel for Marta to suffer defeat in a second championship game this calendar year. In that sense, the stars could align for Marta and Orlando to win the NWSL trophy.

Orlando never lost faith in Marta

Not only would an NWSL title fill the vacant spot in Marta’s trophy case, but it would also be a special accomplishment, considering the whirlwind eight years she’s had in Orlando. Marta has been a fixture at the club during those eight seasons. She has also had to endure plenty of losing seasons during those eight years, as 2024 marked Orlando’s first playoff appearance since Marta’s first season with the club in 2017.

Since the end of the 2020 season, the Pride has parted ways with the likes of Emily Sonnett, Emily van Egmond, Ashlyn Harris, Ali Krieger, Alex Morgan, Sydney Leroux, and countless other key players. But they’ve chosen to hold onto Marta, making her the focal point of what has been a long rebuilding process. Despite being among the oldest players in the NWSL this season, Marta has rewarded Orlando’s faith in her by continuing to perform like one of the best players in the world. Choosing Marta to be the player to build around over the last handful of seasons is perhaps the biggest reason Orlando is one win away from a championship.

Marta is still the leader of the Orlando Pride

It’s up for debate whether Marta is still Orlando’s best player. Banda has been an obvious difference-maker, scoring the second-most goals in the NWSL this season and being a serious MVP candidate. But there is no question that Marta is the emotional leader of the Pride. She has the respect and admiration of her teammates, allowing Marta to set the tone for Orlando’s amazing season.

Of course, Marta is far more than just a veteran player with an impressive resume. She can still play at an elite level, finishing fourth in the NWSL with 11 goals this season. Her spectacular goal in Orlando’s semifinal win over Kansas City is proof positive of that, as Marta weaved and deked her way through several defenders before tucking the ball in the back of the net.

There will never be too many angles of this Marta goal 🤩 pic.twitter.com/HSzgamZ9Nv

Somehow, Marta was able to absorb the profound disappointment of Brazil’s loss in the Gold Medal Match and use it to fuel Orlando’s run to a championship. Since the Olympics, Marta has turned in one great performance after another, with plenty of highlight-reel goals along the way. She is a big reason why Orlando was the best team during the NWSL regular season. It’s also why Marta looks destined to lead the Pride to the NWSL championship. In so many ways, it would be a fitting ending for Marta and Orlando’s fairy tale season.