It was just a year ago when Marta left the Olympic final with tears in her eyes, emotionally marking the end of a storied career with the Brazilian national soccer team.
Turns out, the six-time world player of the year wasn't quite finished.
The 39-year-old forward has un-retired and is playing for Brazil at the Copa América Femenina in Ecuador. The Brazilians have won eight titles in the premier women's tournament for South America.
The Copa América is among three big continental women's tournaments this summer, along with the European Championship and the Africa Cup of Nations.
Even though Marta had stepped away from the national team, Brazil coach Arthur Elias pulled her back in late May for a pair of friendly matches against Japan. Marta started in another Copa América tune-up match against France in late June.
Marta said she's just living in the moment.
“My work doesn’t change, the feeling doesn’t change, the pride doesn’t change, the desire to help the team doesn’t change and it never will, regardless of whether I’m playing or not. But the way I’m facing things, not only here in the team, but I think in my day-to-day life, is a different way," she said in a news conference when she was brought back. “I’m aware that I don’t have many years left to play, so the little I have, I want to make the most of it.”
Before last year's Paris Games, Marta said she would be retiring from the national team after the Olympics to make way for the next generation of players. The Brazilians went on to win the silver medal after a 1-0 loss to the United States in the final.
But she continued to play for her club team, the Orlando Pride in the National Women’s Soccer League. Last season, she scored 11 goals with the Pride, who won the NWSL title. She re-signed with the team through 2026 earlier this year.
Overall, Marta's national team career has spanned more than 20 years. She's played in 204 games for Brazil, scoring 119 goals.
She's played in six World Cups and six Olympics. Brazil’s best finish at the World Cup was runner-up in 2007. The nation has reached the Olympic final three times, including in Paris, but a gold medal has remained out of reach.
Marta started in Brazil's Copa América opener, a 2-0 victory over Venezuela, then came off the bench in a 6-0 win over Bolivia. Next up is a match against Paraguay on Tuesday.
She has said she'll accept any role that Elias gives her, realizing that Brazil has a host talented young players, including 25-year-old Kerolin, who plays professionally for Manchester City, and 22-year-old Luany, who plays for Atlético Madrid.
But there's also an elephant in the room: The Women's World Cup is coming to Marta's home country in 2027.
Previously, Marta said she didn't see herself playing in it — she'd be 41 — but she hasn't exactly ruled out the possibility either.
“The coach has always made it very clear that he’ll be calling whoever is best at the moment, regardless of age. And I think that the way he’s doing it is the most correct way,” she said. “There’s no point in coming here and saying, `I’ll be playing in the World Cup in two years.' It will depend on what happens in my day-to-day life, and that’s why I’m thinking this way today and living one day at a time.”
She may also have another plan for her future.
“I still have a very strong desire to be a mother. So, maybe I’ll wake up one day and decide to call my doctor and see if it’s still possible,” she said in a recent interview with Globo’s Esporte Espetacular. “If it is, bye, I have to go now.”
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
FILE - Brazil's Marta controls the ball during a women's friendly soccer match against Japan at Cicero de Souza Marques stadium in Braganca Paulista, Sao Paulo state, Brazil, Monday, June 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Andre Penner, File)
FILE - Brazil's Marta looks on during a women's friendly soccer match against Japan at Cicero de Souza Marques stadium in Braganca Paulista, Sao Paulo state, Brazil, Monday, June 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Andre Penner, File)
The Golden Globes bill themselves as Hollywood’s booziest bash. This year, is anyone ready to party?
Political tension and industrywide uncertainty are the prevailing moods heading into Sunday night's 83rd Golden Globes. Hollywood is coming off a disappointing box-office year and now anxiously awaits the fate of one of its most storied studios, Warner Bros.
A celebratory mood might be even more elusive given that the wide majority of the performers and filmmakers congregating at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California, oppose the policies of President Donald Trump. Likely to be on the minds of many attendees: the recent U.S. involvement in Venezuela and the fatal shooting of 37-year-old mother Renee Good in Minneapolis by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
But through their ups and downs, the Globes have always tried to put pomp over politics. Host Nikki Glaser has vowed as much.
“You’d be surprised that half the room had no clue why I was saying ‘Venezuela,’” Glaser told The Associated Press earlier in the week, referring to her comedy-club warm-ups. “People aren’t getting the news like we all are.”
Glaser, a comic known for her roast appearances, has promised to go after A-listers in her second time hosting.
“We’re going to hit Leo,” Glaser said. “The icebergs are coming.”
Here’s what to look for at this year’s Globes:
The Golden Globes kick off at 8 p.m. EST on CBS while streaming live for Paramount+ premium subscribers. E!’s red carpet coverage begins at 6 p.m. EST.
The Associated Press will be have a livestream show beginning at 4:30 p.m. Eastern with a mix of stars' arrivals, fashion shots and celebrity interviews. It will be available on YouTube and APNews.
The overwhelming Oscar favorite “One Battle After Another” comes in with a leading nine nominations. It’s competing in the Globes’ musical or comedy category, which means the drama side might be more competitive. There, Ryan Coogler’s “Sinners,” Chloé Zhao’s “Hamnet” and Joachim Trier’s “Sentimental Value” are all in the mix.
But thus far, “One Battle After Another” has cleaned up just about everywhere. Much of Paul Thomas Anderson’s cast is nominated, including DiCaprio, Teyana Taylor, Sean Penn, Chase Infiniti and Benicio Del Toro.
If it and “Sinners” take home the two biggest prizes, it will be a banner night for Warner Bros. even as its future hangs in the balance. The studio has agreed to be acquired by Netflix is a deal worth $82.7 billion. Movie theaters have warned such a result would be “a direct and irreversible negative impact on movie theaters around the world.”
The merger awaits regulatory approval, while Paramount Skydance is still trying to convince Warner shareholders to accept its rival offer.
After an audacious promotional tour for “Marty Supreme,” Timothée Chalamet is poised to win his first Globe in five nominations. In best actor, comedy or musical, he’ll have to beat DiCaprio, a three-time Globe winner, and Ethan Hawke (“Blue Moon”).
In best actress, comedy or musical, Rose Byrne is the favorite for her performance in the not especially funny A24 indie “If I Had Legs I’d Kick You.” One prominent nominee in the category, Cynthia Erivo (“Wicked: For Good”), won’t be attending due to her schedule in the West End production “Dracula.”
Jessie Buckley (“Hamnet”) is the clear front-runner in best actress, drama. In the star-studded best actor, drama, category, the Brazilian actor Wagner Moura (“The Secret Agent”) may win over Michael B. Jordan (“Sinners”) and Joel Edgerton (“Train Dreams”).
In the supporting categories, Teyana Taylor and Stellan Skarsgård come in the favorites.
The Globes, formerly presented by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, have no overlap or direct correlation with the Academy Awards. After being sold in 2023 to Todd Boehly’s Eldridge Industries and Dick Clark Productions, a part of Penske Media, the Globes are voted on by around 400 people. The Oscars are voted on by more than 10,500 professionals.
But in the fluctuating undulations of awards season, a good speech at the Globes can really boost an Oscar campaign. Last year, that seemed to be the case for Demi Moore, who won for “The Substance” and gave the night's most emotional speech. Mikey Madison (“Anora”), however, scored the upset win at the Oscars.
A few potentially good moments this year went instead in a Golden Eve ceremony earlier this week. There, the Cecil B. DeMille and Carol Burnett honorees, Helen Mirren and Sarah Jessica Parker, accepted their awards.
One to watch, if he wins, will be the Iranian director Jafar Panahi. His revenge drama “It Was Just an Accident” is up for four awards. Panahi has spent most of his career making films clandestinely, without approval of authorities, and was until recently banned from leaving the country. Last month, he was sentenced to a year in prison, which would be only his latest stint behind bars if Panahi returns home to serve it. This week, protests over Iran’s ailing economy have spread throughout the country in a new test to Iran's leaders.
For the first time, the Globes are trotting out a new podcast category. The nominees are: “Armchair Expert,” “Call Her Daddy,” “Good Hang With Amy Poehler,” “The Mel Robbins Podcast,” “SmartLess” and “Up First.”
In TV, HBO Max’s “The White Lotus” — another potential big winner for Warner Bros. — leads with six nominations. Netflix’s “Adolescence” comes in with five nods.
But the most closely watched nominee might be “The Studio.” The first season of Seth Rogen’s Hollywood satire memorably included an episode devoted to drama around a night at the Globes. (Sample line: “I remember when the red carpet of the Golden Globes actually stood for something.”) “The Studio” is up for three awards, giving three chances for life to imitate art.
For more coverage of this year’s Golden Globe Awards, visit: https://apnews.com/hub/golden-globe-awards
Teyana Taylor arrives at the 83rd Golden Globes on Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)
Stellan Skarsgård, left, and Megan Everett-Skarsgard arrive at the 83rd Golden Globes on Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)
Colman Domingo arrives at the 83rd Golden Globes on Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)
Selena Gomez arrives at the 83rd Golden Globes on Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)
Nikki Glaser arrives at the 83rd Golden Globes on Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)
Maura Higgins, from ledt, Gayle King, and Mona Kosar Abdi arrive at the 83rd Golden Globes on Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)
Derek Hough arrives at the 83rd Golden Globes on Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)
Tessa Thompson arrives at the Golden Globes Golden Eve on Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026, at The Beverly Hilton Hotel, in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)
Nikki Glaser rolls out the red carpet during the 83rd Golden Globes press preview on Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026, at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, Calif. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
