KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Barbra Banda is living her childhood dream – playing alongside Marta. Banda and Marta are teammates on the Orlando Pride, and arguably the best offensive 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 into her first season in the NWSL, but for Marta, she’s been waiting eight years.
Banda scored the Pride’s game-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 post-game knowing she could give her childhood idol and now teammate the greatest tribute of all.
“I think this is the best gift,” Banda said after the game. “I’ve been looking up to her, she’s a legend, and I’m learning different kind of skills each and every day. It means a lot to me, more especially that she has been saying about it… and this is the moment that she has been waiting [for].”
The two looked at one another in admiration, with Banda grinning from ear-to-ear and Marta barely able to formulate words with a tired voice and undeniable gratitude.
“To take this trophy home and share this moment with my mom here, it’s something that in my best dream, I could even believe would be true,” Mata said. “So I’m so happy. As you guys see, I don’t have so much voice.”
For Marta, this victory was a long time coming, something she’s been hunting for for years. Her team fell short in NWSL season after season, even as she tried to convert a team at the bottom of the table into a legitimate contender. For Banda, she joined the Pride after a very successful career in China’s Women’s Super League, and beyond wanting to win, had aspirations to play alongside the world’s best, such as Marta.
“For me, this moment gives me so many answers,” Marta said.
Naturally, at 38 years old, many were quick to assume that one of those answers could be a retirement announcement. However Marta doesn’t reveal anything.
“Tonight I had all of the answers that I’m, you know, asked for… and of course means so much,” she said. “And then I need to give the credit for everybody – I mean everybody in this club – because every single day, when we went to training, we see how much they care, how much work they put [in] and the players that we have around, they make me feel like so, so good.”
One of those 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 today, you know. She did [it] for her, but she did it for this team too.”
Banda’s winning goal was a perfect depiction of her as a player: dynamic, disciplined, and just ridiculous.
Banda was on the right flank and ran onto a ball over the top. With immense precision and speed, she got control of the ball and drove to the end line. Before anyone could catch her, she Ronaldo-chopped it to change direction and get it on her left foot. Before anyone could react, her strike slipped underneath Spirit goalkeeper Aubrey Kingsbury.
That goal would be the difference maker to bring Orlando their first NWSL championship.
It’s all love between Banda and Marta, and really the entire Pride team, and that was on full display Saturday night, with the mutual respect and admiration clear from both a legend of the game, and a championship MVP. “I like to have her by my side,” Marta said. Added Banda of her idol, “She’s more like my sister.”