Brazil bids to host 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup

Brazil’s sports scene falls no short of a constellation, with many of our stars across a range of disciplines counted among the world’s elite. We have Hortência and Oscar in basketball, Ana Moser and Giba in volleyball, and Maria Lenk and Gustavo Borges in swimming. Each has secured their spot. However, when it comes to football ace Marta Vieira da Silva, our Queen of Football—elected six times the best on the planet by FIFA—we often hear her being referred to as “Pelé in a skirt.”

Am I being prejudiced for not finding it an apt moniker? For some, maybe I am. On the contrary, though, I believe that midfielder Marta deserves her own glory, earned with her own talent, which we must not reduce to a shallow comparison by lumping together different times and disciplines. Pelé’s fans, for instance, refuse to believe Marta scored more goals than their idol, or that she has broken the record of goals scored in a world cup. By questioning, they downplay her achievement. And we cannot help but see a tinge of machismo in this denial.

Brazilian women’s distinction in football must stem from their own achievements, detached as their victories are from men’s glittering history. Their squad, it is worth remembering, is managed by an international coach—something the boys are yet to experience.

We must admit, however, it is not easy. For years, women were not even allowed to play the sport in Brazil. Even today, many of them face prejudice for partaking in it. The view in the country is still a long way from the mindset prevalent elsewhere. No wonder women’s football in Europe and the US is so far ahead of ours.

This week, on the latest episode of TV Brasil’s Sem Censura, Brazil’s Sports Minister Ana Moser announced the country’s bid to host the Women’s FIFA World Cup in 2027.

*Sergio du Bocage is the host of the program No Mundo da Bola, aired on TV Brasil.