FIFA honours Marta with the first-ever Marta Award

Brazilian legend Marta have been honoured by FIFA as she won the first-ever Marta Award.

The award which was named after her, as a replica of the Puskas award.

FIFA named the new award for the best goal scored by a woman in the next year after the Brazilian forward, in a bid to honour one of the greatest in women’s football.

Marta is the all-time top goalscorer, either male or female, in World Cup finals, with 17 goals. She is also the first player to score in five successive tournaments.

The Orlando Pride captain has also been voted the FIFA World Player of the Year on six occasions.

She was however presented with a special trophy at The Best FIFA Football Awards in recognition of “more than 20 years of stellar service to the sport.”

As part of her special award, FIFA announced that from next year, “the best goal scored in women’s football will receive the ‘Marta Award’.”

Since 2009, the world governing body FIFA has awarded a prize, the Puskás Award, to what was considered the “most beautiful” goal scored during the previous year.

The first winner was Cristiano Ronaldo for a 40-yard strike for Manchester United against FC Porto in the UEFA Champions League quarter-final.

Meanwhile, Marta received the award as an honour, to open up the Marta Award, the best goal scored in female football.