Brazilian Marta is left without Olympic gold again because the United States stops her once again

After 185 appearances, including six World Cups and six OlympicsBrazilian great Marta said goodbye to international football on Saturday.

Olympic gold eluded him until the very end.

At 38, Marta had said before the Paris Games that it would be her last major tournament with the national team. There was not going to be a perfect ending for a player who has been one of the standard-bearers of women’s football: a 1-0 defeat to the United States in the Olympic final relegated her to silverware once again.

For the six-time player of the year, it will have been an all too familiar feeling. The United States has been a frequent obstacle to her international ambitions.

In addition to Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008, there is also Paris 2024. On all three occasions, Marta and Brazil lost the gold to the Americans.

Three silver medals are the pinnacle of his achievements in international football, along with a runners-up medal at the 2007 World Cup. For all his brilliance (he scored a record 119 goals for his country), he never managed to win a major international title.

But it was very close.

How her teammates would have loved to have helped her win in Paris at the end of a difficult tournament for Marta, personally.

There were tears of anguish when she thought that her Olympics He had been sent off with a red card against Spain in the group stage. There were tears of joy as he watched from the stands as Brazil eliminated France, the host country, in the quarter-finals, and frustration again when an appeal to have his suspension reduced was rejected and he missed the semi-finals as well.

There were emotional scenes again when she hugged Brazilian coach Arthur Elias in the middle of the field at the end of Saturday’s final and was applauded as she left the stage.

Marta says it is time to pass the baton to the next generation and that Brazilian football seems to be in a good moment after its journey in France.

Her teammates made her proud in her absence to give her one last chance at gold and it was perhaps an indication of her waning impact that she was left out of the starting lineup against the United States.

Gabi Portilho, Adriana and Ludmila have underlined the depth of Brazil’s attack.

And that trio helped Brazil dominate the chances in the first half against the United States, but they were unable to replicate the advantage that had seen them defeat world champions Spain in the semi-finals.

In the 61st minute it was Marta’s turn. Minutes earlier, Brazil was losing by a goal after Mallory Swanson’s goal and Elias called on the iconic national player.

Applause rang out at the Parc des Princes in recognition of the great footballer. There was a gasp of anticipation after her first touch and again when she stepped over a free-kick outside the area in the final minutes.

However, it was Adriana who came closest to equalizing, when her header was saved by American goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher in added time.

When the final whistle blew, it marked the end of Marta’s quest for international success.

She was quick to console her teammate Angelina on the halfway line before sharing hugs with members of the coaching staff.

He congratulated the American players and joined his teammates in showing their appreciation to the fans who were eager to see their hero win gold.

An Olympic journey that had begun when she was just 18 in Athens ended with another final, another medal. But not the one she was so desperate to win.

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