Brazilian superstar Marta won her fifth consecutive FIFA Women’s World Player of the Year award Monday night in Zurich, Switzerland. German Women’s National Team Coach Silvia Neid won the Coach of the Year. Marta beat out Germany’s Fatmire Bajramaj and Birgit Prinz, and Neid finished ahead of U.S. Women’s National Team Coach Pia Sundhage and Germany’s U-20 Head Coach Maren Meinert.
“It means a lot, especially for us because it’s harder for women,” Marta told FIFA.com. “The men earn a lot of money and they have a lot of clubs they can choose to play for. We work very hard but we’re always thinking about what might happen next year, if there’s going to be a team or a competition even. That’s what makes this an honour and a source of pride. This trophy isn’t just for me. It’s dedicated to women’s football as a whole.”