Croatian footballer Luka Modric ended Portugal legend Cristiano Ronaldo and Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi’s decade-long domination of football’s individual awards when he was crowned FIFA’s best player of the year on Monday (24th September) night.

Modric getting the FIFA best player however did not go down well with many who believed Juventus’ new signing, Cristiano Ronaldo, was more deserving of the award.

Amid all the debate that is going on about Modric ending Ronaldo and Messi’s reign, what the world probably missed is the fact that here is a Brazilian striker who is already ahead of both the superstars in terms of the number of FIFA best player titles.

And this star is a woman footballer.

Brazilian footballer Marta Vieira da Silva, who has also been dubbed “Pele in skirts”, a moniker that even the great Pele himself endorses, has achieved something that has even eluded the likes of Ronaldo and Messi.

On Monday night, Marta won 2018’s FIFA best player (female) award for the sixth time – and in the process became the only footballer to achieve this feat. Before this year’s FIFA best player award was announced, the record for the most title was tied among Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Marta – all of whom won it five times.

With Messi getting snubbed from top three and Ronaldo finishing as the runner-up for this year’s FIFA best player award, Marta took the centre stage by winning the award for the sixth time.

Marta Vieira da Silva holds the record for the most goals scored in women’s World Cup and is also the only player to win the FIFA best player award consecutively for five years (from 2006 to 2010).

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Marta, considered by many the greatest women footballer of all time, was born on 19 February 1986, just seven years after Brazil lifted a ban on women playing football even for recreational purposes.

The 32-year-old fought stereotypes to build a successful career for herself in a sport which never appeared “incompatible with the female nature”.

Marta, who is known for her swiftness when dribbling, is today compared to legendary footballers from her country such as Ronaldinho, Romario and Pele.

The Brazilian star comes from an underprivileged family and made her debut in international football at the age of 16. She was also included in the 2003 World Cup squad and was part of the Brazil team that won the silver medal at the 2004 and 2008 Summer Olympics.

Marta was awarded the Golden Ball (MVP) at the 2004 FIFA U-19 Women’s World Championship. In 2007 Women’s World Cup, Marta bagged the best player and the Golden Boot award after leading Brazil to the final of the tournament.

She was also named one of the Ambassadors of the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil along with Amarildo, Bebeto, Carlos Alberto Torres, Ronaldo and Mario Zagallo.

Fun Fact – Much like Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, Marta Vieira da Silva is yet to be win the FIFA World Cup.