Which is the better domestic league in soccer has always been a hotly debated question. When it comes to men’s leagues, there’s a variety to choose from, like the Premier League, La Liga, Bundesliga, or Serie A. For women’s leagues, the assortment may be fewer, but the names NWSL and WSL are enough as they stand out as top contenders. But which one is better? For someone like Marta, she always recommends everyone to “go to America.”

The Brazilian superstar, who has been at Orlando Pride since 2017, was the latest guest on Sam Mewis’-hosted ‘The Women’s Game’ interview. Interestingly, when asked if she guides other players to choose NWSL over any other league like WSL, Marta said, “Oh every single year, when I was in Brazil or with the national team or on vacation, if I had the opportunity to talk with the players there, I always recommend them to go to America.”

The 6x FIFA World Player of the Year acknowledged that NWSL is a fast-paced game and not just demands physicality, but is even unpredictable. “It’s a good opportunity for them to be in the league that puts them in a challenging situation,” added the 38-year-old forward. Notably, Marta herself has a little Brazilian group at Pride, sharing the locker room with fellow Brazilians including defender Rafaelle Souza, forward Adriana, and starlet midfielder Angelina.

The presence of players from her nation gives her a homely feeling while playing in America, but the impact goes far beyond that. Marta affirmed that the chance to play in the NWSL always takes things up a notch. Furthermore, the Brazilian icon revealed how it has helped her and her fellow national players improve their game on the international front.

Marta reveals how playing NWSL can benefit players in the Olympics and World Cup

Marta agrees that Brazilian soil may give birth to all kinds of talents, but it lacks one major thing: “In Brazil, players are always good with the ball, technical, but the physical part was always down.” She often gets asked by her fellow national teammates how to keep their physicality at peak. In response, Marta always urges them to be honest with themselves and question whether they play in a very ‘high-level competitive’ atmosphere.

“You need to find a way to train a little bit extra because when you go out and play in a tournament like the Olympics or World Cup, you’re going to play against players who are fit and fast,” added Marta, insisting that success won’t come easily if they don’t prepare themselves to play in such challenging place like NWSL. Be that as it may, it’s clear that Marta prefers NWSL over WSL.