Brazil WC exit 'not even in my worst nightmares': Marta

MELBOURNE, Aug 02 (Agencies): Marta said Brazil's Women's World Cup exit at the group stage Wednesday was "not even in my worst nightmares" as the legendary attacker bid a heartbreaking farewell to the tournament.
The 37-year-old, arguably the greatest women's footballer of all time, started the game but could do nothing to help Brazil get the goals they needed as their campaign ended in a toothless 0-0 stalemate with Jamaica.
Brazil and Marta are out in the group phase, their poorest World Cup performance since being dumped out at the same stage in 1995.
"It's hard to talk at a time like this. Not even in my worst nightmares was it the World Cup I dreamed of," said Marta, who looked as shell-shocked as she was upset.
"But it is only the beginning, the Brazilian people ask for renewal, and there is renewal.
"The only old one is me, most of them (team-mates) are young girls with enormous talent, it's just the beginning for them.
"I end here, but they continue."
Marta -- nicknamed "Pele in a skirt" by the late football great -- will never win the World Cup to add to her many achievements.
Among them, she is the all-time leading goal-scorer in World Cups, men's or women's, but was unable to add to her tally of 17 in Melbourne.
"Marta ends here, there is no more World Cup for Marta," said the forward, who has been dogged by injury in the twilight of her career.
"I am grateful for the opportunity to have one more World Cup and very happy with what is happening with women's football in the world."
Coach Pia Sundhage said she expects Marta to carry on with her playing career "because she loves the sport".
But she pointedly added: "Whether she is good enough for the national team, let's see.
"I am going to look for good players so it will be harder for Marta. We need to be better than today."
She made her first appearance on the world's biggest stage back in 2003, bursting onto the scene as a 17-year-old by scoring three goals as Brazil advanced to the quarterfinals.
Four years later, she scored seven goals and was named player of the tournament in leading her nation all the way to the final, only to fall 2-0 to Germany in that decider.
That would prove the closest the attacker would ever come to lifting a World Cup, however, with three Copa America titles and two Olympic silver medals the highest points she has reached with the Seleção.
Though unable to add to the tally in Australia and New Zealand and, thusly, missing out on becoming the first player to score in six World Cups, she is also Brazil's all-time leading scorer with 117 goals.
She was named FIFA World Player of the Year six times and became widely acknowledged as one of if not the greatest women's player of all time. Off the pitch, her profile transcended the game at a time when women's football largely existed in the shadows. For a generation, Marta was women's football.
"I knew that she was big, she's a famous player," Brazil coach Pia Sundhage had said before the game. "[But I] couldn't even imagine how big she is in Brazil.
"I get very emotional just being around such a good player. Not only what she's going to do tomorrow, but what she's done for so many years and been a fantastic role model."