Nicknamed "Pele in a skirt" by the football great, the Brazilian star better known to her fans as "Queen" Marta will play in what could be her last women's World Cup in France.
But the chances of winning the world crown that has eluded the 33-year-old veteran and her compatriots are slim, with Brazil not tipped to lift the trophy.
Widely considered to be the best female player of all time, Marta has come close to international glory with the Selecao, making it to the World Cup final in 2007 and picking up silver medals in the 2004 and 2008 Olympics.
But the Brazilian captain freely admits that this year's World Cup will be challenging, at the very least, for the national team.
"It's hard to think about the title," Marta told a Swedish newspaper recently.
"At the moment the situation of the Selecao is far from ideal, it's the worst since I've been there."
- Making history -
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- Sparkling career -
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