Brazilian soccer star Marta took time to talk with USA TODAY in the days leading up to a critical Women's Professional Soccer league match between her FC Gold Pride (Heyward, Calif.) and the host Washington Freedom (Sat. July 24, 7p.m. ET). The 24-year-old is the second-year league's brightest star and one of its biggest draws in a season marked by inconsistency at the ticket office. A native of Dios Ranchos, Brazil, Marta spoke with the aid of a Portuguese interpreter.
FC Gold Pride's Brazilian playmaker Marta, shown in action in 2009 with her former team, the Los Angeles Sol, is a four-time FIFA women's world player of the year.
Q: What's the state of the WPS in 2010?
A: It's a much stronger league this year than it was when we started in 2009. Playing with so much talent in the league just makes you a better player, and that's only going to help all of us when the World Cup starts next year.
Q: You've played for Brazil in two summer Olympics and one World Cup. Which was the best experience?
A: It's really hard to pick one of them because all of them were really special. Unfortunately, we haven't won yet.
Q: In the 2007 World Cup final, you missed a second-half penalty kick which would've tied the game at 1-1. Germany went on to win 2-0. Do you ever think about that and how does it affect your mindset going into the 2011 Cup?
A: We've got a game to play! It's not very good to think about that! (laughing) That kind of stuff happens to all the big players, men and women, on every stage you can think of. If you're on that level you have to take it as a thing that happens to you and you've got to move on. If you don't think like that, you're not going to be able to stay at a high level and be one of the top players in the world.
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SOURCE: USA Today
Robert Klemko
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