Originally published Wednesday, February 25, 2009 at 2:10 PM

Brazil's Marta comes to US to build game worldwide

Marta didn't tour around Southern California or visit the team's training facilities before she signed with the Los Angeles Sol of the new Women's Professional Soccer league.

By RACHEL COHEN

AP Sports Writer

NEW YORK —

Marta didn't tour around Southern California or visit the team's training facilities before she signed with the Los Angeles Sol of the new Women's Professional Soccer league.

The three-time FIFA player of the year finally got around to visiting last week, more than a month after agreeing to a three-year contract.

"What I understood was the ambition of the WPS was to be the best league in the world," the Brazilian star said through a translator in an interview with The Associated Press on Wednesday. "That was something that really made me understand that was the right decision."

Marta's flashy style will be on display in the league's inaugural game next month. The Sol face the Washington Freedom in Carson, Calif., on March 29.

The striker spent the past five years playing for Swedish club Umea. At 23, Marta is too young to know much about the Women's United Soccer Association, the WPS's failed predecessor. WUSA was launched after the success of the 1999 World Cup, but folded in 2003.

Still, she's well aware of the dearth of playing opportunities for elite women's soccer players around the world.

"It is important because the United States is known to be the center of women's soccer," she said. "Definitely what we understand is if we can really help this league go to a new level, I'm positive other countries will follow the model that is being done in the United States."

Standing just over 5 feet tall, Marta was the leading scorer at the 2007 World Cup with seven goals, including two in Brazil's 4-0 win in the semifinals over the U.S.

"All the magic that I do in the pitch, it happens," she said. "I don't go in the pitch really thinking to do that, but when I need to do it in the benefit of my team, in the benefit of Brazil, I just do it and it happens. It's not something I train to do."

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