👸 17 Days to Go: The greatest goalscorer in World Cup history | OneFootball

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The most prolific goalscorer, male or female, in World Cup history. Marta.

An icon of the women’s game and of Brazilian football — there is a statue of the forward at the Brazilian National Football Museum in Rio, right alongside Pelé’s — Marta’s 17 goals at World Cup finals stands alone in the sport.

And, with the Brazilian now 37, 2023 is likely to be her last chance to improve on that record.

But how has she done it so far?

Well, there have been seven penalties, all leaving the goalkeeper with no chance. And then we get into the more interesting stuff.

There is a trademark finish of sorts, with goals against against New Zealand (2007), the USA (also 2007) and Norway (2011) all featuring the same sort of shot, struck low and hard across her own body into the near corner.

The first of those, against New Zealand, saw Marta pull off an incredible piece of control as she received the ball, an almost acrobatic leap and touch to take possession.

That’s not uncommon either. World Cup goals number six — beating the China goalkeeper with deft control before finding an empty net — and ten (more on that later) against the USA also saw the striker bring the ball under her control with an exquisite first touch.

Then there’s the power shown in goals four, a low drive across goal against New Zealand, and seven, an effort through a crowd of Chinese defenders.

And we cannot talk about Marta without talking about calm and poise as shown by World cup goals two, a toe poke against South Korea, 12, as she calmly took an extra touch before placing home in a busy penalty area and 14, an exquisite and intelligent looped volley to see off Norway.

The greatest of all her World Cup strikes, though, is still an easy choice. Even from this stunning collection, one stands out. And it showcases so many of the things that have made Marta so exceptional.

Audacious skill to beat one defender and the pace to drive away. Then the calm control to take the ball around another before a low, drilled effort with her weak foot was enough to beat the goalkeeper.

The USA may have three World Cup wins to their name but they had no answer to this. Nobody would have. The pick of the bunch and a goal worthy of being the crowning glory of the best striker the biggest stage has ever seen.

Marta, simply, is one of a kind. Now she heads into one final World Cup. Does she have one more moment of magic for us?

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