End of an era: iconic Brazilian soccer player Marta to retire from the national team after Olympics

SEATTLE - All good things must come to an end, the latest example being the case of Marta, a pioneer in women's soccer and Brazil's all-time leading scorer.

Marta announced that the Paris Olympics will be her last international tournament with the national team, putting an end to her successful 21-year stint wearing one of the world's most iconic jerseys.

"There will be no more Marta from 2025 on in the national team as an athlete," she said. "I am very calm about this, because I see with great optimism this development that we are having in relation to young athletes." The legendary goal scorer hopes to make her sixth and final appearance at this year's Olympics, where she has two runner-up medals from the 2004 and 2008 games.

"If I go to the Olympics, I will enjoy every moment, because, regardless of whether I go or not, this is my last year with the national team," Marta told CNN.

If she stays true to her word, Marta would be putting an end to one of the most successful international careers in both men and women's soccer. The Brazilian has scored 116 goals in 175 matches with the "Seleçao" since her debut in 2003. Marta's 116 goals for Brazil are a record for any player, man or woman, in the history of the country.

The current Orlando Pride player started her career at a very young age, making her debut for Vasco da Gama when she was just 14 years old. Throughout her two-and-a-half-decade long career, Marta has become one of the most accomplished people in the sport, having won FIFA's Women's World Player of the Year/The Best a record six times, most recently in 2018.

"Queen Marta" also holds the record for the most goals scored at the FIFA Women's World Cup, having found the back of the net 17 times. Her 17 goals are also more than Miroslav Klose's 16 goals at the men's World Cup.

With Brazil, Marta has won three Copa América Femenina titles along with two gold medals at the Pan American Games and two silver medals at the Summer Olympics. If she makes the roster, Marta will have her last chance at winning a major tournament with Brazil, a feat that has eluded her since 2003.

In 2007, Marta's seven goals and five assists during the Women's World Cup weren't enough to give Brazil their first title in the competition, eventually losing the final against Germany.

Although her great performances in the international stage haven't yielded the best of results, Marta always contributed to the Brazilian cause. In 2019, she became the first player to score in five different World Cups (men's or women's) and her goals at the Tokyo Olympics also made her the first player ever to score in five different Olympic Games.

The 38-year-old will put an end to her golden career with the Brazilian national team to completely focus on the Orlando Pride, a team where she has played since 2017. She holds plenty of records at the NWSL franchise such as most appearances (107) and most goals (33).