When I started playing, there were no teams and no structure, so I had to play with the boys. I get very emotional when I think about the humiliation that I've suffered playing football.
MartaRead
I didn't know there was such a thing as professional soccer, but I knew that Brazil had a women's team that competed against other countries, and I wanted to be on that team.
Interpretation
This quote reflects a strong aspiration to achieve one's dreams despite initial ignorance about the opportunities available.
In this quote, Marta expresses her determination to pursue her passion for soccer, highlighting a moment of discovery about the existence of professional women's soccer in Brazil. It illustrates how the desire to be part of something meaningful can inspire individuals to focus on their goals, even if they are unaware of the pathways leading to those aspirations.
In practice
Inspires young athletes at a sports camp.
When I started playing, there were no teams and no structure, so I had to play with the boys. I get very emotional when I think about the humiliation that I've suffered playing football.
Some boys accepted me, some didn't. And my family had comments made to them. Brazil is still a very macho society, and sports are mainly for boys, so people would say to them: 'What is this girl doing? Why is she always out there in the soccer games with the boys?'
The trouble with referees is that they know the rules, but they do not know the game.
Nobody, not even the head coach, would do anything to the football unilaterally, such as adjust the amount of pressure in a ball, without the quarterback not knowing. It would have to be the quarterback's idea.
I hated the Yankees and Dodgers and wound up managing both.
On the field, everyone is equal.
Boxing's a poor man's sport. We can't afford to play golf or tennis. It is what it is. It's kept so many kids off the street. It kept me off the street.
I'd give a year of my life if I could hit a homerun on opening day of this great new park.
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