SAO PAULO — Marta has received the world participant of the yr award six occasions however has by no means received the Women’s World Cup in 5 earlier makes an attempt with Brazil.

That’s one thing she and the workforce need to change.

Marta has been recovering from a knee harm however the 37-year-old striker is predicted to play a task in Brazil’s bid for the title on the match co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand.

Brazil will likely be coached at a World Cup by a European for the primary time; Pia Sundhage has had practically 4 years to remodel the workforce.

Sundhage, who led the United States to 2 Olympic gold medals, referred to as up Marta for friendlies towards England and Germany in April however the ahead remained in Florida to recuperate from a muscle harm in her left leg.

She later declared she was 100% able to play, though the doubts over her health have continued.

Marta had surgical procedure to a restore a torn anterior cruciate ligament final yr after injuring her left knee throughout a membership recreation within the United States. She was sidelined from the nationwide workforce for 11 months, solely returning to play for Brazil in a pleasant towards Japan in February.

Regardless of Marta’s degree of health, Sundhage believes Brazil is amongst a gaggle of 10 groups that would win the title.

The coach additionally insists her workforce has improved for the reason that penalty shootout loss within the quarterfinals to eventual champion Canada on the Tokyo Olympics, a outcome that forged doubt on the workforce rebuilding job began in 2019.

Brazil, one of many three South American groups within the match, is predicted to advance to the knockout stage in Group F. The group additionally consists of France, the workforce that eradicated the Brazilians 4 years in the past within the spherical of 16, Jamaica and Panama.

Only eight gamers concerned in Brazil’s final Women’s World Cup marketing campaign are anticipated to go to Australia for the group video games - goalkeeper Leticia; defenders Kathellen, Rafaelle and Tamires; and forwards Bia Zaneratto, Debinha, Geyse and Marta.

Brazil carried out properly within the two newest friendlies regardless of Marta’s absence, holding European champion England to a 1-1 draw earlier than shedding the Finalissima on penalties at Wembley Stadium on April 6. Days later, Brazil beat second-ranked Germany 2-1 in Nuremberg.

Sundhage stated the win over Germany was amongst Brazil’s greatest performances since she took over.

“And we did that playing against one of the best teams in Europe,” Sundhage stated after the match, saying it give the workforce extra confidence for the World Cup “including confidence for myself.”

The 30-year-old Andressa Alves is predicted to mix with Marta in Brazil’s assault. She scored 14 targets in 35 matches for Roma in the course of the season, though she’d been prone to be on the bench for Brazil till Atletico Madrid striker Ludmila sustained an ACL harm that ought to rule her out.

One of Brazil’s new strengths that provides followers hope, even when Marta is unfit, is the younger and intense midfield duo of Ary Borges and Kerolin.

“We are growing very well,” Borges stated after Brazil’s win in Germany. “(For a while) we couldn’t win matches even when we played well. Now it is different. We are leaving here with a very positive thinking, we will arrive strong at this World Cup. Beating a team like Germany makes people look at us with more respect.”

Kerolin stated in a podcast in mid-June that Brazil’s ladies are Argentina’s World Cup- successful males’s workforce as a mannequin for what they need to ship for Marta.

“What they did for Lionel Messi, we want to do it for Marta,” Kerolin stated. “She deserves it for who she is.”

Brazil will play a final pleasant at dwelling on Sunday towards Chile in Brasilia. Then the Brazilian squad will head to Australia aiming to go one higher than its best-ever end in eight World Cup appearances: runner-up to Germany in 2007.

Brazil’s performances within the match may also be taken towards a political backdrop, with the South American nation among the many bidders to host the subsequent version of the Women’s World Cup.

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