Has anyone seen this woman play soccer? He is the Wayne Gretzky or Joe Montana of women's soccer. Her stats are incredible: 111 goals in 103 appearances for Umea IK, a Swedish team. 26 goals in 14 appearances for Santos, a Brazilian team. 54 goals in 53 appearances for the Brazilian national team. She's 24 years old and five time FIFA World Player of the Year winner. What I wonder is, could elite female players like Marta play in first division men's leagues like EPL or Serie A? Maybe not on the level of Messi or Milito, but a star player better than most other male players? Is the speed and stamina difference between elite male and female athletes so great as to render the best female soccer player incapable of beating out at least some men?
I've seen her play. No way could she play in the Premiership or Serie A, even as a role player. As you mentioned, the speed/strength/stamina difference between the top male and female players is too big. And, the EPL, Spanish La Liga, and Serie A are three of the very top leagues in the World. Maybe a MLS stint for publicity's sake. Marta is 5'4" tall...I just can't see how she could compete physically against world-class defenders. Diego Maradona was 5'4" tall, but compare their physiques and the similarities end there. True, Maradona was one of the best of his generation...but there are very few successful players at the highest level that were that size. Plus, Maradona was a total a*hole so I don't mind comparing him to a girl. Lionel Messi is 5'7" and he's considered short.
This seems like kind of a pointless question to ask. Marta is an amazing talent and great player, why not just leave it at that? I doubt whether she would even want to play in a men's league, and no she probably couldn't make a men's professional squad. IMO she could easily play men's collegiate soccer though.
I read that Mia Hamm played on some boys' teams and faired very well. Note that I said "boys'," not "men's." My daughter's team can beat quite a few boy's teams, but she's playing U12. The girls are hitting their growth spurts and they dwarf most of the boys. Puberty is not kind to girls, so in a year or two, the boys will beat them soundly. I seriously doubt a woman can compete on a high level with men except maybe, possibly, but highly unlikely at the goalie position. Male goalies are free to attack me personally.
i didn't mean to take anything away from hamm, who was a great player. i just think marta is at another level, but perhaps my response made it seem the difference btw the two is greater than it actually is. i do think marta is the best women's player we've ever seen.
Mia Hamm < Marta <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<Good male college player. It's not even close.
Johnny Torres is better than Mia Hamm. About 5'6, won Herman Trophy and led Creighton to Final 4, 3 time HS All American and finalist for Gatorade national player of the year, and the best player I ever saw in high school. Absolutely murdered people. Dont think he ever cracked the National A team, but played with under 21 national teams etc.... And probably none of you have ever heard of him. Women players just cant match up.
