Goal.com WPS Player Of The Week: Marta, FC Gold Pride

FC Gold Pride striker Marta is playing at a high level. In two games last week, the Brazilian women’s national teamer hit the back of the net four times, and assisted on another.

“Before I played professionally, I always dreamed of playing for the Brazilian national team, and I always dreamed to be playing at such a high level,” said Marta through a translator after winning the MVP award for her All-Star Game performance.

In the 2010 WPS All-Star Game, Marta put home a pair of goals in her club’s – Marta XI – win over Abby XI, captained by Washington Freedom’s Abby Wambach. Both of Marta’s goals came early on – in the seventh and eighth minute, respectively – against Atlanta Beat All-Star keeper Hope Solo.

And on Saturday night in the Pride’s return to the regular season, Marta was once again scoring two goals off Solo, as well as assisting on the Pride’s opening goal (40 seconds into the match) by Christine Sinclair. (Sinclair had a goal off Solo in the All-Star Game as well, and assisted on a goal in Saturday’s win.)

For those achievements, Marta has been named Goal.com’s WPS Player of the Week for Week 12.

“Marta is the best in the world at individual flair,” said Wambach after the All-Star Game show her counterpart put on for the fans at KSU Soccer Stadium in Kennesaw, Ga.

But Marta knows her role on the team. Yes, it’s to score goals, but also to keep others involved.

“It’s important for me to score goals,” said Marta. “But it’s also important to make everyone a part of this.”

Not to mention, she’s humble with her success.

“Today I wasn’t the MVP,” Marta said after earning the honor for her All-Star Game outing. “The whole team was the MVP.” Marta also added that she doesn’t really keep track of her honors (which include WPS 2009 MVP, FIFA World Player of the Year 2006-2009, as well as her recent 2010 WPS All-Star Game MVP last Wednesday). Instead, she says she’s “just rolling with it.”

Marta has now claimed the Goal.com Player of the Week honor for the third time this season, claiming it most recently in week nine.

Also receiving consideration for player of the week honors were FC Gold Pride’s other striker, Christine Sinclair, as well as Washington Freedom’s keeper Erin McLeod who stopped 10 shots to salvage a point for her club against the Chicago Red Stars – a scoreless draw.