Brazil’s 18-woman roster for the Olympics was announced on Friday and included Orlando Pride ace and one of the greatest players of all-time, Marta. The 35-year-old’s reaction to hearing her name called to represent her country in Tokyo is what this sport is all about.
Marta Reaction To Olympic Roster
The moment Marta found out she made Brazil's Olympic roster for the fifth time
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) June 19, 2021
Translation:
Person holding the camera: “You ready, little girl?”
Marta: “Always. But it’s indeed very emotional.”
"You guys know that we are so proud to wear our yellow shirt and represent Brazil. It’s one more opportunity to play one more Olympics, so I am so happy. LET’S GET IT! BRAZIL!”
This will be Marta’s fifth Olympic Games. She has two silver medals from the 2004 and 2008 Games and will look at this summer as one final chance to grab gold. Surprisingly, Marta isn’t the oldest on the roster.
São Paulo midfielder Formiga will compete in the Olympics for a seventh time. The 43-year-old has competed in every Olympics since women’s soccer was introduced to the Summer Games in 1996. She’s the only player to have perfect attendance.
Atlanta 1996
Sydney 2000
Atenas 2004
Pequim 2008
Londres 2012
Rio 2016
#Tokyo2020 pic.twitter.com/2ZxHypgYxA— Time Brasil (@timebrasil) June 18, 2021
The biggest surprise from Brazil’s roster was the absence of top-playmaker Cristiane. The Brazilian forward hasn’t missed a major international tournament in over a decade. She holds the record for most goals in the Olympic Games for both women and men with 14. Her highlights over the years show what she’s capable of.
I’m sorry y’all I’m grieving pic.twitter.com/J1RV6pA9NW
— andrea (@andreaviIchez) June 18, 2021
here’s cristiane making the uswnt defense look silly pic.twitter.com/YzKjxuWN6Q
— andrea (@andreaviIchez) June 18, 2021
and here, Cristiane casually doing a bicycle kick at the Olympics where she holds the record for most goals scored for men and women (14), youngest hat-trick scorer (19 yrs old), fastest hat-trick (14 mins) and most hat-tricks (2) pic.twitter.com/zjKe5P3dmy
— andrea (@andreaviIchez) June 18, 2021
Cristiane, 36, plays for Santos in Brasilerio Feminino A1 and hasn’t been in great form. She must have taken the news of not making Brazil’s roster personally because the day after the announcement, she scored a brace for Santos in a 3-2 victory against Botafogo. After scoring her second goal she celebrated by pointing to the last name on the back of her jersey.
Cristiane had made three appearances for the national team in 2021.
Here’s the full 18-woman roster that will represent Brazil in Tokyo.
A lista completa das #GuerreirasDoBrasil que vão em busca do ouro no futebol feminino nos @JogosOlimpicos. Vamos, meninas! Vamos, Brasil! #Tokyo2020 pic.twitter.com/iJk3gt7Jw3
— Seleção Feminina de Futebol (@SelecaoFeminina) June 18, 2021