Marta will join the Pride on a two-year contract with an option for a third, pending the receipt of her International Transfer Certificate, reports orlandocitysc.com.
“We are incredibly proud to bring Marta to Orlando, and I am personally very excited as I have been a fan of her for many years,” Orlando City SC CEO Alex Leitao said.
“We started the Pride to win, and bringing Marta to Orlando is a testament to our belief in this team, our supporters and the passion for soccer in Central Florida,” Leitao added.
Marta has won league championships at the club level 10 of the last 12 years, most recently leading Swedish side FC Rosengard to the 2014 and 2015 Damallsvenskan title.
“Marta’s resume speaks for itself. She is not only the best player in the world, she is a player that fills one of our biggest needs on the field,” Orlando City SC General Manager Niki Budalic said.
Marta (31) has been named FIFA Women’s World Player of the Year five times over her playing career, winning the globe’s top soccer honor each year from 2006-2010, and was on the final three shortlist every other year from 2004-2014. This year, Marta finished second for the annual award, now dubbed “The Best FIFA Women’s Player”.
Marta has surpassed the 100 mark in both international goals and appearances for Brazil, averaging a goal a game. In 2015, she scored her 15th career World Cup goal, becoming the top goal scorer in the tournament’s history. She is just two goals shy of becoming the World Cup’s all-time leading scorer for both men or women, currently tied with fellow countryman Ronaldo and a goal behind top-ranked Miroslav Klose of Germany.
Marta and the Pride will open the 2017 NWSL season on April 15 at Portland Thorns FC.
