Marta’s been named one of the nominees for the 2025 Ballon d'Or Féminin. At 39, the Brazilian forward from Orlando Pride didn’t just get there on name recognition. She had a solid year. Thirty-five games played, 11 goals scored, a US Open Cup trophy under her belt, and a key part in Brazil’s Copa América title run. Her nomination makes sense. It’s based on what she actually did, especially when it counted most.
So what got Marta back in the mix?
In the Copa América, she scored once in the semifinal against Uruguay and then added two more in the final versus Colombia. The match ended in a 4-4 draw and was decided by penalties, which Brazil won. Earlier that year, she also earned a silver medal at the Paris Olympics, back in August.
She didn’t go unnoticed outside of the big tournaments, either. In December, she picked up the Marta Award, a FIFA honor for the best women’s goal of the season. That goal came in a friendly against Jamaica. And with another recent highlight-reel goal for Orlando Pride, she’s already being talked about for the next one. Her presence here isn’t nostalgia. Longtime fans, of course, feel that familiar sense of pride seeing her name on the list. She’s earned it.
Plenty of NWSL names in this year’s nominations
Marta’s not alone. Barbra Banda, also from Orlando Pride, is on the list. Same for Temwa Chawinga (Kansas City Current), Esther González (Gotham FC), and Sofia Cantore (Washington Spirit). Gotham’s goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger is in the running for the Yashin Trophy. Orlando Pride’s up for Best Club, too. That’s more NWSL representation than we’ve seen in this award before.
It’s a sign of where the league stands today. It doesn’t always get as much media attention as the big European leagues, but the level is still high. Banda had 17 goals. Chawinga hit 20 in 28 games. González scored 29. Cantore made 21 across her time at Juventus and with Washington Spirit. Those numbers back up the recognition.
Even with all that, most eyes are still on Aitana Bonmatí from Barcelona. She had 20 goals, 16 assists, three domestic titles — she’s going for her third Ballon d'Or. And she’s not alone. Alexia Putellas, another Spanish star, is in that same race for her third. But this award isn’t all about stats. It also weighs what those stats meant, when they happened, and what they brought. That’s where Marta holds her ground.
This is her third Ballon d'Or Féminin nomination. She placed fourth back in 2018. Now she’s back again, off the back of a season that speaks for itself. The ceremony’s set for September 22, in Paris. Whether she wins or not, the argument for her is already out there.