Banda’s dream was to play with Marta – now they are teammates & NWSL Champions

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Barbra Banda lives her childhood dream and plays together with Marta. Banda and Marta are teammates on the Orlando Pride and arguably the best attacking duo in the National Women's Soccer League.

On Saturday night at CPKC Stadium in Kansas City, the two hoisted their first NWSL Championship trophy. For Banda, this NWSL championship came just a year after her first season in the NWSL, but for Marta, she has been waiting eight years.

Banda scored the Pride's winning goal over the Washington Spirit in the 47th minute and went on to win championship MVP. For the first time in Pride history they were NWSL Shield winners and NWSL champions. And for Banda, she couldn't help but smile after the match, knowing she could give her childhood idol and now teammate the biggest tribute of all.

“I think this is the best gift,” Banda said after the match. “I've looked up to her, she's a legend, and I'm learning different kinds of skills every day. It means a lot to me, especially that she's spoken out about it… and this is the moment she's been waiting for [for].”

The two looked at each other admiringly, with Banda grinning from ear to ear and Marta barely able to form words with a tired voice and unmistakable gratitude.

“To bring home this trophy and share this moment here with my mother, it's something that in my best dream I could even believe would be true,” Mata said. “So I'm so happy. As you can see, I don't have much of a voice.'

For Marta, this victory has been a long time coming, something she has been looking for for years. Her team fell short in NWSL season after season, even as she tried to turn a bottom-of-the-table team into a legitimate contender. For Banda, she joined the Pride after a highly successful career in the Chinese Women's Super League. She not only wanted to win, but also had the ambition to play alongside the best in the world, like Marta.

“For me, this moment gives me so many answers,” Marta said.

Of course, at age 38, many were quick to assume that one of those answers might be an announcement of their retirement. However, Marta reveals nothing.

“Tonight I had all the answers that, you know, I asked for… and of course that means so much,” she said. And then I have to give credit to everyone – I mean everyone in this club – because every day, when we went to training, we see how much they care, how much work they put in. [in] and the players we have around make me feel so good.”

One of the players Marta referred to is Banda.

“I come to Barbra and I talk to her,” she said, “and today I talked to her and I said, 'Hey, big players show up in big games,' and she did that today, you know. [it] for her, but she also did it for this team.”

Banda's winning goal was a perfect representation of her as a player: dynamic, disciplined and just plain ridiculous.

Banda was on the right flank and ran onto a ball over the top. With enormous precision and speed she gained control of the ball and drove to the end line. Before anyone could catch her, Ronaldo chopped it up to change direction and get it on her left foot. Before anyone could react, her shot slipped under Spirit goalkeeper Aubrey Kingsbury.

That goal would make the difference in giving Orlando their first NWSL championship.

It's all love between Banda and Marta, and really the entire Pride team, and it was on full display Saturday night, with the mutual respect and admiration of both a legend of the game and a championship MVP. “I like having her by my side,” Marta said. Her idol's Banda added, “She looks more like my sister.”