In January 2013, she was named one of the six Ambassadors of the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, alongside Amarildo, Bebeto, Carlos Alberto Torres, Ronaldo and Mario Zagallo.

After playing for the CSA youth team, Marta started her professional career at Vasco da Gama in 2000.

After two years, she was transferred to Santa Cruz, a small club in the state of Minas Gerais,[11] where she would play for two more seasons, before joining Umeå IK of Sweden.

Umeå cruised to an 11–1 aggregate win over Norwegian side Kolbotn FK in the UEFA Women's Cup semi-finals, with Marta scoring twice in both matches.

[13] In the UEFA Women's Cup they reached the final for the fourth time but suffered a disappointment, losing 1–0 on aggregate to Arsenal.

On the day she was named FIFA World Player of the Year in January 2009, Marta announced that she would be joining Women's Professional Soccer (WPS) team Los Angeles Sol for the league's inaugural season on a three-year contract.

[21] The Sol were regular season champions and reached the WPS Championship Final, where it lost 1–0 to Sky Blue FC.

[25][26] In January 2010, the Sol ceased operations[27] and the rights to Marta and her teammates were made available in the 2010 WPS Dispersal Draft.

The board of directors has confirmed it is finalizing negotiations for the club to dispute the women's football league in the United States in 2011.

The Brazilian soccer star edged out fellow Flash forward Christine Sinclair in the tiebreaker, having a greater production rate based on goals per game average.

[35] Tyresö won the Damallsvenskan title for the first time in the 2012 season and Marta collected her fifth league winner's medal.

[37] Tyresö had suffered a financial implosion in 2014 and withdrew from the 2014 Damallsvenskan season, erasing all their results and making all their players free agents.

The Stockholm County Administrative Board published the players' salaries, showing Marta was the highest earner at SEK 168 000 per month.

[43] The Pride ended the season in third place earning their first-ever playoff appearance where they lost in the semi-finals to the Portland Thorns.

She suffered an ACL tear in her left knee on March 26 during the second game of the 2022 NWSL Challenge Cup and was placed on the club's season-ending injury list after surgery.

After her personal duel in the final with United States goalkeeper Hope Solo, a 1–0 defeat consigned Marta to her third consecutive runners–up medal in major international tournaments.

She recorded four goals and two assists in the tournament to move joint top of the all-time women's World Cup goalscorer list alongside Birgit Prinz on 14.

In the next match, she scored another penalty, this time against Italy, to become the outright leading goalscorer, male or female, at the World Cup with 17 goals in total.

[6] After Brazil were knocked out by hosts France in the Round of 16,[56] Marta gave an emotional interview to television cameras where she pleaded with Brazilian girls to continue the legacy of ageing legends such as herself, Formiga, and Cristiane.

[60][61] She got sent off in the first half stoppage time of Brazil's final group play match against Spain for a hit on Olga Carmona, being suspended for two games, but returned coming off the bench in the final against the United States, where a 1–0 defeat to the United States gave Marta her third silver medal.

[60][61] A small, quick, yet sturdy and tenacious player,[62] who is regarded by many in the sport as the greatest female footballer of all time, Marta is renowned for her flair, quick feet, and exceptional skill on the ball, which has earned her comparisons with Ronaldinho,[63] Romário,[64] and also Pelé, who himself dubbed her as Pelé with skirts.

[64][68][69] Marta is capable of playing in several offensive positions: she began her career in an offensive midfield role as a classic number 10,[70][71] although she was later deployed in a more advanced role,[72] both as a supporting forward[73] and as a main striker,[74] or even on the wing, a position which allows her to cut into the middle and shoot on goal with her stronger left foot.

[88] She gained a U.S. green card in February 2021, giving her permanent residency status and also qualifying her as a domestic player for NWSL roster purposes.

[89] In January 2021, after several years of dating, Marta announced she was engaged to Orlando Pride teammate Toni Pressley.