Picture by 2014 Getty ImagesBy Chloe MerrellLegendary women’s football star Miraildes Maciel Mota, commonly known as 'Formiga' donned Brazil's famous yellow jersey for the final time in yesterday’s (November 25) friendly against India in Manaus Though denied a parting goal thanks to a super save from Indian keeper Aditi Chauhan the emphatic final scoreline provided a fitting send-off for a player whose career-in-numbers is as equally as impressive just three years before her country lifted its ban on women’s football Formiga began playing football at the age of 12 Her rise up the sport's ranks was meteoric. At 17 she was awarded with her first international cap at the 1995 Women’s World Cup and in little over a year, she was an established first team player, regularly starting for Brazil at the 1996 Atlanta Games. ⚽ Relive the best football moments from Paris 2024 🏅","event":null,"destination_url":"","entry_point_tag":"football","entry_point_type":"instory_campaign"}" data-tracking="click" href="https://www.olympics.com/en/sign-in?entry_point_type=instory_campaign&entry_point_tag=football&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.olympics.com%2Fen%2Folympic-games%2Fparis-2024%2Fvideos" target="_self" rel="noopener noreferrer">Love football ⚽ Relive the best football moments from Paris 2024 🏅 The defensive midfielder went on to clock some eye-watering figures seven World Cup and seven Olympic appearances have seen her walk away with two Olympic silver medals (Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008) three Pan American Games wins and six Copa America Femenino titles There has been a considerable outpouring of support for Formiga’s second retirement (her first attempt was in 2016 but she was coaxed out of it because she was so irreplaceable) “Congratulations on an absolutely insane career I don’t think anyone could ever replicate what you’ve done on the field,” Rapinoe said addressing Formiga directly “It seems impossible that you wouldn’t be able to play anymore.” Rapinoe joins a chorus of international players that also includes recent USWNT retiree Carli Lloyd and two-time Olympic gold medallist Mia Hamm Though Formiga retires without a World Cup or Olympic gold medal on her resume the she will forever be remembered for her enduring sporting commitment to her country ALSO READ: Brazil rejoices as Marta and Formiga break Olympic football records Your Ads Privacy ChoicesIMDb Formiga has reaped the rewards of an extensive career that has spanned across an historic number of tournaments and she still has plans to continue playing after Tokyo 2020 Picture by 2016 Getty ImagesBy Courtney Hill200 national team caps, seven World Cups and soon to be seven Olympics - but just one Formiga The 43-year-old midfielder has been a part of the national team set-up since 1995 Part of head coach Pia Sundhage's squad for Tokyo 2020 Formiga will be competing for what would be a third Olympic medal Even though she has plans to continue playing domestically curtains will be drawn on what is effectively her second stint in the national team coaching or peacefully enjoying retirement - she says she'll never stop fighting for women's football in Brazil "What we need to do is win an important tournament like the World Cup or the Olympics. We've tried many times and never managed it but we'll keep trying. Formiga came into the world at a time when it was illegal for women to play football in Brazil The law was ultimately lifted a year later and, thanks to players like her and Marta, women’s football remains on the rise. Named Miraildes Maciel Mota, she earned the nickname Formiga – the Portuguese word for ant - very early on in her career. It was her unselfish style of play – reminding others of how ants work together as a colony – that inspired the nickname that would become the name she is so commonly recognised as around the world. She has played for 13 different clubs all over the world, including the USA, Europe and across her homeland of Brazil. Formiga has been part of the national team almost as long as she has been playing club football, making her debut at just 17. She has since become the most capped player in Brazil’s football history, making her 200th appearance in December 2020. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Formiga (@oficial_formiga) she has been a part of a record-breaking seven World Cup tournaments Silver is also the best finish she’s achieved at the Olympic Games, taking second place at both Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008; and she is on course to attend her seventh Olympic Games at Tokyo 2020, held in 2021. Formiga initially retired in 2016 and came back to compete with her country in the South American Championships in 2018 – winning a sixth consecutive title. Now, three years on from making her comeback, the living legend will call it time on her international career once and for all after the Games but she isn’t quite ready to stop playing club football just yet. Formiga recently returned to São Paulo, the club she started her career with in 1993. The transfer comes off the back of helping Paris Saint-Germain to an historic first league title. The midfielder played 68 games for the French club, ending her four-year spell on a high. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Formiga (@oficial_formiga) While Formiga's illustrious career will continue beyond her international retirement it's her presence for her country that has blazed a trail for future generations From being born when women's football was illegal to etching her name in history And her teammate, and fellow record breaker Marta In a passionate plea after being knocked out of the World Cup in 2019 Marta tells future generations that the livelihood of women's football in their country depends on them "There's not going to be a Formiga forever, there's not going to be a Marta forever, there's not going to be a Cristiane," she said "The women's game depends on you to survive." The trio have been pioneers for the women's game in Brazil and are winding up to pass the torch onto the future Formiga continues to play at the highest level and will hope to help lead her country to a podium finish at the Tokyo Olympics ShareSaveBusinessSportsMoneyBrazil’s Formiga To Make History By Competing In Seventh Olympic GamesByAsif Burhan Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights Asif Burhan is a freelance journalist who covers women's soccer.Follow AuthorJul 19 02:00am EDTShareSaveThis article is more than 3 years old.GRENOBLE FRANCE - JUNE 06: Formiga of Brazil poses for a portrait during the official FIFA Women's .. More World Cup 2019 portrait session at Grand Hotel Uriage on June 06 (Photo by Naomi Baker - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images) When she steps on the field for the Brazilian National Soccer Team against China at the Miyagi Stadium in Rifu will maintain her record of competing in all seven women's Olympic soccer tournaments since the sport was introduced into the Games in 1996 Brazil first match of the tournament against China will come 25 years to the day since Formiga first played in the Olympics Norway at the RFK Stadium in Washington on July 21 during the 1996 Atlanta Games Records of longevity are nothing new to the Brazilian midfielder who in 2019 became the first soccer player of either gender to play in seven FIFA World Cups she became the first South American footballer in history to win 200 international caps when she played in a 8-0 win over Ecuador However by competing in her seventh Olympic Games in Japan this month Formiga moves into an even more rarefied strata of sporting achievement Heading into the delayed Tokyo 2020 Olympics only 31 athletes since 1896 have ever taken part in seven or more Games Only three women in history have competed at more Games than the Brazilian - the Canadian coxswain Lesley Thompson German/Italian canoeist Josefa Idem and Georgian shooter Nino Salukvadze Formiga will become only the eleventh woman to take part in seven Olympics and the first-ever Brazilian overtaking five other athletes from her country who have competed at six Games she will become the first seven-time Olympian of either sex in a team sport Formiga's career is much more than just a set of statistics she has been the fulcrum of the Brazilian national team Yet when she was born in Salvador in the north-east state of Bahia in 1978 it was still illegal for women and girls to even play soccer A 1941 decree by the National Sports Council in Brazil declared that women “will not be allowed to practice sports incompatible with the conditions of their nature” Echoing similar bans in England and Germany which deemed soccer too dangerous for women to play Formiga began playing street soccer at the age of 7 moving to São Paulo to train full-time after impressing a visiting scout the 1994 World Cup winning captain of the Brazil's men's team She reputedly earned her nickname of Formiga due to her small frame and unselfish work for the team in the middle of the field Sun Wen of Chinsa and "Formiga" of Brazil battle for the ball during match 13 of the womens Olympic .. More semi-finals match 28 July in Athens,Ga AFP PHOTO Doug COLLIER (Photo by Doug COLLIER / AFP) (Photo credit should read DOUG COLLIER/AFP via Getty Images) she was selected to travel with the Brazilian squad to Sweden for her first Women's World Cup in 1995 but a year later by the time of the 1996 Atlanta Olympics she had become a starter Despite winning six South American championships and Gold at three Pan-American Games a global title has eluded Formiga in that time she was at the heart of a glittering Brazilian team spearheaded by Marta and Cristiane which finished as Silver Medalists in the 2004 and 2008 Olympic Games and runners-up to Germany in the 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup Greece: US players celebrate their victory as Brazilian midfielder Formiga walks away from .. More the pitch at the end of the gold medal football match at the Olympic Games 26 August 2004 at Karaiskaki stadium in Athens AFP PHOTO DANIEL GARCIA (Photo credit should read DANIEL GARCIA/AFP via Getty Images) “I don’t want to be remembered as the player who played for so many years, who was at all those Olympic Games and World Cups, but as someone who fought for improvements in women’s soccer in my country." Reporting by Rohith Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Hugh Lawson Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab , opens new tab Browse an unrivalled portfolio of real-time and historical market data and insights from worldwide sources and experts. , opens new tabScreen for heightened risk individual and entities globally to help uncover hidden risks in business relationships and human networks. © 2025 Reuters. All rights reserved standing on the docks of the Connecticut River and monetary resources lend support to Armita Mirkarimi '25 while she explores the intersection of government Dartmouth College is defined by its people and 3D is a magazine that tells their stories sign up to receive the printed version of 3D Magazine There is one constant in women’s soccer -- and it’s not the domination by the U.S. women. On Sunday, Brazil’s Formiga will play in her seventh World Cup there were 150 who weren’t even born yet when Formiga made her World Cup debut back in 1985 “She is one of the greatest examples we have in the world if not of this planet," Brazil coach Vadao said when he announced his roster last month “I could not stay out of such a project.” Making this all the more impressive is that Formiga isn’t relegated to the end of the bench a mascot-like figure who will never make it into a game The 41-year-old is still a starter at defensive midfield she scored the winner in a group game against South Korea she saved what could have been a devastating goal with a perfectly timed tackle I'm very dedicated to my training and anything that is about football," Formiga said in 2015 "I have a dream to win the World Cup and take it to Brazil I have to be in top shape physically to be able to help the team." Formiga’s real name is Miraildes Maciel Mota But she was nicknamed Formiga – or ant – because of her hardworking style and indefatigability Formiga actually did the unthinkable after Rio and retired from international soccer telling her Brazil didn’t have anyone else who could play her role The idea that Brazil might miss the World Cup did not sit well so Formiga agreed to come back ahead of the 2018 qualifying tournament Brazil’s Group C game against Jamaica on Sunday will be Formiga’s 187th appearance for her country a record it’s safe to say no one will touch She will surpass Japan’s Homare Sawa in number of World Cups played captain Christie Rampone as the oldest player to appear in a World Cup Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker The six-time FIFA World Player of the Year became the first footballer to score in five straight Olympic Games, netting twice in her nation’s 5-0 opening win over China. There was an outpouring of love on social media for the 35-year-old led by her compatriot Pele, one of the all-time greats in the men's game. In a touching social media post he said, "I hope you're dreaming about what you did a few hours ago. Speaking of which, how many dreams do you think you inspired today? "Congratulations on your trajectory. Congratulations, you are much more than a football player. You help build a better world with your talent, in which women gain more space." - Pele's message to Marta on Instagram Another heart-warming moment on the pitch saw Marta dedicate her goals to her fiancée and Orlando Pride teammate Toni Pressley by making a 'P' sign in both of her goal celebrations.. But the Brazil captain wasn’t her team's only record breaker on the night. Marta's 43-year-old teammate Formiga became the first women's player to take part in seven Olympic Games who has 201 caps for her national team played 72 minutes against China Formiga made her Brazil debut as a 17-year-old at the 1995 World Cup and has played in every Olympic Games since women's football made its debut at the 1996 Atlanta Games She briefly retired from international football after Rio 2016 but was persuaded to return by the former national team coach Vadao for the Copa America Femenina in 2018 Next up for Brazil in Group F on Saturday (24 July) will be a tougher test in the shape of the Netherlands The Oranje set a record of their own in their opener scoring the most goals ever by a single team in a women’s Olympic football match courtesy of a 10-3 thrashing of Zambia Arsenal striker Vivianne Miedema stole the show with four goals - matching German striker Birgit Prinz's tally against China at Athens 2004 - before being substituted in the second half Marta and co will have to be at their best as Brazil continue their search for a first ever Olympic gold in women’s football The Selecao Feminina won silver in 2004 and 2008 before agonisingly losing their semi-final on penalties on home soil in 2016 Julian Green’s first touch in a World Cup was the stuff of legends one of the constant measures of success is longevity The idea of being at the top of your game for as long as possible is why so many go through such grueling workouts and endless training to hone their talents in an effort to be the best Father and Mother Time eventually catches up and the athlete eventually has to step off the mountaintop one player truly has redefined longevity and success and has told Mother Time to wait until she says it’s time And that eternal flame continues to burn ever so bright every single time that Formiga steps onto the field it was actually illegal for women to play soccer in Brazil she started playing the game when she was 12 though she even caught resistance by her own brother when she tried to learn her mother supported Formiga in her endeavors taking her to play futsal for a local club She played so well that she caught the eye of Brazilian national team scouts who encouraged her to move to a team in São Paulo where the national team were beginning preparations for the 1996 Olympics It was as a teenager that she earned the name Formiga She earned that because of her unselfish play on the field which teammates equated to ants working together in a colony to get the job done She learned a great deal by emulating Dunga who captained Brazil to victory in the 1994 Men’s World Cup She eventually was selected for the 1995 Women’s World Cup squad She then was selected to the Brazil squad for the 1996 Olympics which was the first time women’s football had a tournament there It was then that she became a regular starter for Brazil’s national team as she was the first to lead a new wave of generational talent on the women’s national team Formiga continued to be a force on the national team, helping to lead Brazil to silver medals at the 2004 and 2008 Olympics - both times losing in the final to the United States. She was also part of the Brazil team that advanced to the 2007 Women’s World Cup final, beating the USWNT in the semifinals but eventually falling to Germany in the final So many players came and went from the international scene being the constant guide for the team and a role model to so many others Brazil made the 2011 and 2015 editions of the Women’s World Cup but were not able to get back to the final She also continued to participate in the Olympics When she stepped foot onto the field at the 2015 Women’s World Cup she set a record that may never be broken by anyone breaking a record that was held by Lothar Matthäus She also became the oldest goalscorer in Women’s World Cup history with a goal against South Korea in that tournament She then followed it up by appearances in the 2016 Olympics and 2019 Women’s World Cup becoming the oldest player to compete in a Women’s World Cup at the age of 41 SEVEN. Formiga starts for Brazil to become the first man or woman to play in 7 FIFA World Cups! pic.twitter.com/iSeR0FSt7Q She rallied to participate at the 2020 Olympics as well to become the only player in soccer history to appear at 7 World Cups and 7 Olympics she is the only player to appear in every edition of the Olympics in women’s football Formiga’s run on the national team came to an end on November 26, 2021, when she played her last match for Brazil in a 6-1 win over India in Manaus. Still, she continues to play on the club level at the age of 44, most recently playing for São Paulo and reportedly being courted by Cruzeiro to play for them this year 43-year-old Brazil legend Formiga has announced her retirement from international football.She's played at 7 World Cups and 7 Olympic tournaments - both are World Records.Playing football was still illegal for women in Brazil when she was born.An incredible career pic.twitter.com/ZssMPvGf0i For having the whole internet talking about athletes in their 40s, there has not been enough Formiga discourse for my satisfaction. 42 years old.27 professional seasons.7 World Cups.Only one Formiga.pic.twitter.com/eL8nyGwh5n She has been playing longer than all but 5 players on Brazil’s SheBelieves Cup roster have been alive Her career is one that more people should be including in those legendary discussions Formiga’s accomplishments continue to build as that eternal flame burns For more Black History Month stories, check out our Black History Month hub We will be bringing stories throughout the month to highlight some of the biggest moments in Black American and world soccer history Jussier Formiga is no longer on the UFC roster multiple people with knowledge of the situation told MMA Fighting on Monday The American Top Team flyweight was released from the company after losing three in a row from 2019 and 2020, with a decision to Brandon Moreno sandwiched between knockout defeats to Joseph Benavidez and Alex Perez Formiga (23-8), once considered the best flyweight on the planet before the UFC opened the division in 2012, joining the company that same year. The 35-year-old Brazilian holds a victory over current 125-pound champion Deiveson Figueiredo Formiga’s 9-7 run in the octagon includes wins over the likes of Sergio Pettis, Ulka Sasaki, Wilson Reis, Scott Jorgensen and Chris Cariaso The veteran fighter came close to challenging for the flyweight belt on a few occasions, but came up short in No. 1 contender bouts with Benavidez (twice), Henry Cejudo, Ray Borg and John Dodson Since first arriving in the UFC nearly seven years ago Jussier Formiga has always been considered one of the elite flyweights on the roster but he never quite made it to a championship fight He has defeated many of the top 10 athletes competing at 125 pounds but each time he seemed just one step away from a title opportunity Following a rollercoaster ride through wins and losses in four straight fights the 33-year old Brazilian decided it was time for a change That’s when he relocated his entire life to south Florida where he began training at American Top Team a gym that houses numerous current and former UFC champions such as Amanda Nunes and Junior Dos Santos.  “Every time you make a move in your life comes the questions about did I make the right decision Maybe I’m going to regret it,” Formiga said about his decision to move to Florida The results in his training in Florida started to show almost immediately with his first full camp culminating in a victory over Ulka Sasaki in Japan.  Formiga then followed that up with two more dominant wins including a rear naked choke submission against Ben Nguyen and a unanimous decision against Sergio Pettis in a showcase performance last October at UFC 229 It’s easy to tell that Formiga has found the perfect home “The first fight from the [win] streak was in Japan and I was already training here [at American Top Team] and then right away after I brought my family and everything was just perfect,” Formiga said the hot weather is better than being in the cold While he will always love the teammates he left behind in Brazil Formiga says having everything he needs housed under one roof at American Top Team has made a tremendous difference in his preparation From his striking and grappling coaches to a world-class group of training partners Formiga wants for nothing at American Top Team.  I used to drive to different places to get my training done,” Formiga explained “To have everything in one place and everybody as coaches so they all know what I’m doing and it makes a big difference.  “I think that is definitely the best way to improve yourself when you have everybody on the same page.” As he looks to build on that three-fight win streak Formiga will next test himself at UFC Fight Night in Nashville against an undefeated prospect looking to take his place in the rankings Fellow Brazilian Deiveson Figueiredo comes into the fight with an unblemished 15-0 record that includes four wins in the UFC Figueiredo has also finished three of those four opponents by technical knockout including his last win over former title challenger John Moraga It’s just a further testament to the kind of danger Figueiredo brings into every fight.  He had to go through his own growing pains once he reached the peak of the flyweight division and Formiga anticipates that Figueiredo might be in for a rude awakening now that’s he’s taking on a legit top five-ranked opponent.  “His record speaks for itself,” Formiga said about his upcoming opponent “He’s 15-0 but now that he’s reached the top five that’s when he’s going to feel the pressure of being with the best in the division I think stepping up to the top five makes a difference I believe that when you get to that place in the division “You feel you’re going against the best guys in the division there’s going to be a lot of pressure on him I think everything is going to be answered on March 23.” Formiga truly felt like he was worthy of a title shot at 125 pounds especially considering the way he’s rolled through his last three opponents Formiga actually battled current flyweight king Henry Cejudo to a split decision when they first met in 2015 and he hopes to stand across the Octagon from him again one day in the future.  I have to be next for Cejudo,” Formiga said “That’s the reason why we decided to take the fight because of all the commotion with the division.” Cejudo is coming off a stunning 32-second knockout in his last fight when he faced bantamweight champion TJ Dillashaw he’s still awaiting his next opponent and Formiga hopes to catch his attention with a strong performance on Saturday night in Nashville.  “[Henry Cejudo] will face a different Formiga than he fought almost four years ago,” Formiga promised “I do believe he improved the same way I did the chances of me losing to him would be almost nothing.” Multi-year agreement gives ESPN+ subscribers exclusive access to purchase UFC’s biggest events the women's Olympic football tournament has produced breathtaking and historic moments Here are a selection of the most memorable Four nations have claimed the title as Olympic champions prior to the Paris 2024 Games, with the United States being most successful, having won gold four times. We selected seven top moments from the first seven editions of the women’s Olympic football tournament for you to enjoy. The Zambian captain first scored a hat-trick in a 10-3 defeat to the Netherlands and she followed up with three more goals in a thrilling 4-4 draw against the People's Republic of China Despite Banda's remarkable double hat-tricks Zambia couldn't advance from the group stage as they suffered a defeat to Brazil in their last match including the four goals she netted against Zambia in the 10-4 victory during the group stage ExclusiveHighlightsFootball Tokyo 2020: Back to back hat-tricks for Zambia’s Babra BandaBabra Banda claims back to back women’s football hat-tricks as Zambia draw 4-4 with China The 2012 Olympic semi-final between the USA and Canada took place at Manchester United's Old Trafford ground famously known as "The Theatre of Dreams." The match resulted in a thrilling 4-3 victory for the USA and it is widely regarded as one of the greatest knockout matches in a major football tournament was holding the ball for more than six seconds paving the way for the Americans' fourth Olympic title They claimed the gold medal by defeating Japan 2-1 in the final Watch the most spectacular Olympic goals from some of the biggest names in the sport stepped onto the pitch at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics in 2021 she claimed a host of extraordinary records The Brazilian midfielder became the first and only player to participate in all seven Olympic Games tournaments from 1996 to 2020 This feat also set the record for the most Olympic Games participations for any Olympian Formiga holds the record for most caps at the Olympic Games (33) At Tokyo 2020 she also became the oldest player to feature at the Olympic football tournament at the age of 43 years and 149 days The now 45-year-old retired from the national team in November 2021 having played 234 matches for Brazil a record that still stands as the fastest hat-trick in Olympic women's football the Brazilian had already scored a hat-trick four years prior at Athens 2004 making her one of only two players to have achieved two hat-tricks at the Olympics Cristiane of Brazil scores during their during their women's first-round group F soccer match against Nigeria at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games August 12 women's football made its Olympic debut, Eight nations participated in the tournament facing the People's Republic of China in the final becoming the inaugural champions and captivating an ecstatic crowd of 76,500 spectators Norway claimed the bronze medal after beating Brazil in the small final ExclusiveHighlightsUSA's Olympic History in Women's FootballSince women's football made its Olympic debut in 1996 the United States have been in the ongoing battle for the top of the podium In Atlanta in 1996,Team US earned a 2-1 victory over China claiming the gold medal for the first time capturing their second football Olympic title Germany got off to a perfect start in their Olympic campaign in 2004 Prinz was the first player to score four goals in one game at the women's Olympic football tournament the German from Frankfurt holds the records for the most capped player and the top goal scorer for the Germany national team when the Dutch beat Zambia 10-4 in the group stage GREECE - AUGUST 11: Fussball / Frauen: Olympische Spiele Athen 2004 Patras; Gruppe F / Deutschland - China ( GER - CHN ); Die vierfache Torschuetzin Birgit PRINZ / GER 11.08.04 (Photo by Andreas Rentz/Bongarts/Getty Images) defeating the USA goalkeeper Siri Mullinix in the 102nd minute of the final This 'golden goal' instantly decided the match leading Norway to be crowned Olympic champions for the first time since then the Nowegians have not been able to advance further than the quarter-finals Following her decisive goal in the Olympic final Dagny Mellgren joined the Boston Breakers one year later she scored a total of 49 goals for the Norway national team in 95 matches during her impressive career Watch the greatest Olympic Moments and relive the women's football final in which Norway beats the USA and claims gold during the Sydney Summer Olympic Games in 2000 Formiga prepares for farewell matchEnglish league leaders Arsenal returned to winning ways thanks to star striker and history-maker Vivianne Miedema while the Saudi Arabian Football Federation ushers in new era for women’s football as first ever dedicated league gets underway Elsewhere in the world of soccer the Spirit weren’t the only team marking a ‘first.’ South African side Mamelodi Sundowns cruised to victory in the first-ever CAF Women’s Champions League final while Saudi Arabia launch their inaugural women’s football league kicking off today (November 22). Formiga prepares for farewell match","tag":"[\"discipline-football\",\"newsclip\",\"kelley-ohara\",\"vivianne-miedema\",\"fran-kirby\",\"sam-kerr\",\"noc-us\",\"noc-br\",\"noc-gb\",\"noc-au\"]","module_type":"InStoryCampaign","module_title":"Women’s soccer weekly news: Kelley O’Hara lifts Washington Spirit to first ever NWSL title Formiga prepares for farewell match","section_level_1":"news","section_level_2":"women-s-soccer-weekly-news-kelley-o-hara-lifts-washington-spirit-to-first-ever-n","discipline":"discipline-football","odfId":"FBL","module_instance":"CTAs - Blue Link","module_id":"b2ba8be2-bce1-4f63-8621-1dc25f262deb","link_tag":"Love football A sublime header from London 2012 Olympic champion Kelley O’Hara sealed the win for the Spirit who defeated the Chicago Red Stars 2-1 in extra time The game-winning score, on the 97th minute, came off a cross from Trinity Rodman, daughter of famed basketball legend Dennis Rodman. The NWSL Rookie of the Year demonstrated throughout the game why she is deserved her newest award After an equalising score from the Red Stars midway through the second half Rodman flashed her brilliance rocketing a long range shot just into the woodwork on the 61st minute As the game entered then extra time again the 19-year-old continued to threaten before eventually providing the assist that would lift her side to the championship Read more: Trinity Rodman making a name for herself 43-year-old Brazilian legend Formiga is set to hang up her international boots this Thursday When she took to the pitch at Tokyo 2020 she became the oldest player to compete in a women’s Olympic football tournament beating the record previously set by fellow countrywoman Read More: Indian women’s football squad named for South America tour Arsenal striker Vivianne Miedema made goal-scoring history once again after she became the first player in the WSL to score against every team she’s faced with a breezy 2-0 defeat over Manchester United Miedema wasn’t the only player notching up impressive numbers this week in England Team GB’s Fran Kirby scored her 100th goal for Chelsea and Australian Sam Kerr hit a hat-trick to guarantee the Blues a decisive 5-0 victory over Birmingham City now slide into the sixth place in the WSL table standings while defending champions Chelsea remain one point off the top spot still occupied by Arsenal Next up for the WSL is the international break Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies carved out a slice of sporting history by becoming the first winners of the inaugural CAF Women’s Champions League They defeated Ghana’s Hasaacas Ladies 2-0 to take the crown Victory in Cairo means that the Chloorkop club now shares joint honours with Spanish side Barcelona The two are the only football clubs in the world to win the men’s and women’s Champions League title on their respective continents A goal from Chuene Morifi on the 31st minute handed the South African based outfit the lead heading into half-time The Ghanaians had no answers for the Sundowns despite their best efforts and a second goal from Andisiwe Mgcoyi all but sealed their fate Monday November 22 will be forever remembered as a momentous day for women’s football in Saudi Arabia after the new Regional Football League officially launches home-and-away format with the winner of each group declared the champion of their region the top three teams in the Central (Riyadh) and Western (Jeddah) regions in addition to the top two from the Eastern Region (Dammam) will progress through to the national championships The eight qualified teams will play in a knockout competition at the Kingdom Final Championship with the overall winners set to receive $133,000 in prize money Picture by 2003 Getty ImagesThe Confederação Brasileira de Futebol named the 18-member women’s squad that will be looking to rectify their fourth-place finish at the Rio 2016 Games.  Marta is considered one of the world’s top football players, while Formiga will be looking to bow out of the Olympics with an elusive gold medal. Formiga will be going to her seventh Olympic Games, boasting silver medals from Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008.  The 43-year-old Formiga made her debut at Atlanta 1996 and has played in every single women’s tournament ever held at the Games. Brazil’s home Olympics in 2016 ended in tears after they lost to Canada 2-1 in the bronze-medal match. Seven members of the squad – goalkeeper Letícia, defender Jucinara, midfielders Julia Bianchi, Adriana, Duda, and forwards Geyse and Ludmila – will be making their Olympic debuts in Japan. Love football? ⚽ Relive the best football moments from Paris 2024 🏅 View this post on Instagram A post shared by Seleção Brasileira de Futebol (@cbf_futebol) The match also marked the retirement of Brazilian legend Formiga This was the first time an Indian football team, male or female, faced Brazil in an international competition. Manisha Kalyan was the goal-scorer for India, while Borges Ariadina scored a brace and Oliveira Debinha, Costa Giovana, Ferraz Keroline and Ferreira Geyse got a goal each for Brazil. The Indian eves were down by a goal in the first minute of the game after the home team’s captain Oliveira Debinha slotted in a rebound from Indian keeper Aditi Chauhan. However, India’s brightest moment of the match came seven minutes later when Manisha Kalyan scored the equaliser through a counter-attack. Collecting the ball from her own half, Manisha Kalyan darted through the left wing of the other half and slammed the ball into the bottom corner of the far post to level the score. went into the break with a 2-1 lead after Giovana Costa scored in the 36th minute currently ranked seven in the world – 50 places above India – scored four more goals after the break with two of them coming in a space of three minutes Borges Ariadina scored the third goal for the team in yellow in the 52nd minute followed by Ferraz Keroline making it 4-1 in the 55th The Indian defence faced regular challenges and Geyse Ferreira slammed the fifth one from a close range in the 76th minute Borges Ariadina netted her second of the night to make it 6-1 The match also marked the end of Brazilian legend Formiga’s stellar career that saw her playing seven consecutive women's World Cups and seven Olympic Games only came on as a substitute with some 15 minutes left in the play India are playing the four-nation tournament as part of their preparations for next year’s AFC Women’s Asian Cup and has been praised from around the footballing world following the announcement Her first Olympic appearance was in 1996 at the Games in Atlanta Brazil took Olympic silver medals home in 2004 and 2008 she had confirmed that the Olympics in Japan would be her last major tournament Formiga made her international debut as a substitute By the time of the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta she had become a regular first team player Formiga’s birth-name is Miraildes Maciel Mota These records were made possible because she was persuaded back into the team after a break from the national team She specifically returned to make sure Brazil qualified for the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup And then became inspired to break even more records From USA's Megan Rapinoe to Brazil's Malcom - enjoy watching the best football goals at Tokyo 2020 “The Selecao didn’t have anybody in my position The Selecao needed to qualify for the World Cup The thought of Brazil missing out of the World Cup it weighed heavily on me and eventually I decided to help I had no intention to carry on and play in the World Cup Her influence did help them qualify for the tournament in France Formiga retires without a World Cup trophy on her honours list Brazil have also never won an Olympic gold medal in women’s football Some top football accounts praised Formiga on social media will play her final game for Brazil in a friendly against India. Silvestre Szpylma/Quality Sport Images/Getty ImagesBrazil's most-capped player Formiga is to retire from international duty later this month bringing an end to a career that included seven World Cups and Olympic Games Formiga has played 233 matches for Brazil and her final game will be a friendly against India on Nov After making her Brazil debut as a 17-year-old at the 1995 World Cup Formiga went on to play at every Olympic tournament since women's football made its debut at the 1996 Atlanta Games The 43-year-old midfielder wrote her name into the record books as the first women's player to participate in seven Olympic Games in Tokyo in July Formiga was part of the Brazil team that lost to Germany in the 2007 World Cup final She won silver at the 2004 Athens Olympics and again Beijing in 2008 Her last World Cup appearance was at the 2019 edition where Brazil lost to hosts France in the round of 16 Is there a more rare finish in the UFC than a leg kick TKO Californian veteran Alex Perez will look to reverse a three-fight skid when he steps in for Manel Kape to fight Mattheus Nicolau in the main event of the UFC’s latest card in its Apex facility outside Las Vegas Perez’s trio of recent defeats have come against respected competition in former champion Deiveson Figueiredo current champion Alexandre Pantoja and the unbeaten former amateur world champion Muhammad Mokaev Perez’s most recent win came back in June 2020 agains the then fourth-ranked flyweight Jussier Formiga whose night was ended prior to the conclusion of the first round following a barrage of leg kicks dished out the American — and you can watch that fight in full in the embedded video below The legendary Brazilian midfielder on finding her voice off the pitch and what must be done to fight racism and sexism in football Formiga is known as the indefatigable player of Brazilian women’s football. She has always talked about her commitment to the sport and how she has taken care of herself to enjoy such longevity on the pitch. Now, though, her voice is starting to become as prominent as her game. Read more“I was always really reserved,” she tells the Guardian before revealing that for every year that passed she became more and more aware of the importance of what she represented as a black “We now have the freedom and respect of people who admire our work – and that gives me the confidence to speak up.” Formiga has suffered prejudice throughout her career and that has made her wary of public attention But with growing support towards women’s football she feels that the world is now a safer space to share pictures and videos of herself and her wife and to talk about her race and sexuality to the media “I believe there are girls that may still be afraid to come out,” she says we can also inspire a family member to think differently and that they can accept their children the way they are What we really hope and wish for is to have 100% respect For most of her life Miraildes Maciel Mota had to deal with many challenges not only related to the attitudes towards her being an athlete but also because of her sexuality There has been a rise in awareness towards the LGBTQ+ population in Brazil and their rights but there is still a lot of violence “I’m not saying that this prejudice is over But there’s no way for us to hide any more,” she says Formiga (right) receives flowers from her teammate Marta during her farewell match against India in Manaus in November 2021 Photograph: Thais Magalhaes/Brazilian Football Confederation/AFP/Getty Images“When I started playing football we didn’t have the protection we have today So I think we need to show ourselves and earn the respect that didn’t exist before.” Even though Formiga has seen a lot of changes in Brazil It is not only female footballers who are abused Recently the Flamengo forward Gabriel Barbosa was the subject of racist abuse from Fluminense supporters “It is extremely unfortunate that we still see these racist issues,” Formiga says “It should have been eradicated from society by now not only in Brazil but in the rest of the world too I think there needs to be stricter punishments for these attitudes so that it becomes a deterrent for people “People need to respect other human beings respect people who are doing some good things It doesn’t matter if some fans don’t want to accept that another team is better but they need to see that they are human beings We can start something to have more severe punishments to fight racism once and for allFormiga says she has felt the need to join fellow players in their battle to end discrimination in football She believes the Brazilian FA (CBF) can do more and become a role model for other areas of the world “We can become an inspiration for other countries “The football associations need to campaign [against the prejudices] all the time not only from football but from all sports There needs to be a joint effort to make sure that our law changes as quickly as possible so that we can deal with this Sometimes they don’t see what their actions are doing to another person together with the government and the justice system to have more severe punishments to fight racism once and for all.” women’s football was still banned by law in Brazil she knows her personal story is connected to the history of the women’s game She also feels she is worthy of people’s respect because of her achievements Formiga in action against Norway at the 1996 Olympics the first time women’s football was part of the Games Photograph: Ruediger Fessel/Bongarts/Getty ImagesThe midfielder who played an incredible 234 times for her country was part of the most successful generation of Brazilian female players She has played for years alongside legends such as Marta and Cristiane but for a long time it was not easy to know the real Formiga She avoided the spotlight and only used the attention to ask for better support for her fellow players she is now using her experience to advise younger players how to navigate their careers “I tell them to never stay in the comfort zone,” she says “Nothing is going to happen if they don’t put the effort in or if they’re not committed I always wanted to encourage the girls I had the opportunity to play with so that they can believe in their potential and appreciate our sport at all times We hold hands and keep fighting to improve the women’s game worldwide for our rights and to be more recognised every day.” She is happy to focus on her club and happy to consider everything that she has done “I feel fulfilled knowing that everything I do can change lives.” It’s been a long road to true flyweight title contention for Jussier Formiga his name must be said among the short list of contenders at 125 pounds The Brazilian standout, who twice during his six-year UFC stint had stretches of two losses in three fights, defeated Sergio Pettis in the featured FS 1 prelim bout on Saturday night at UFC 229 The judges’ scores at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas were 30-26 and a pair of 29-28s for a unanimous decision Formiga improved to 22-5 and has won three in a row and four of his past five The crowd in Las Vegas didn’t enjoy the bout but Formiga wasn’t about to apologize for his performance you have to do what you have to do to get a win and go to the next step,” said Formiga through an interpreter The opening round was largely a feeling-out affair But Formiga was the more active of the two with his striking and he scored a takedown late in the round to give the judges a good final impression Pettis sprawled Formiga’s first takedown attempt and at first appeared to parry his second attempt Formiga stuck with it and scored a trip on the second effort It seemed plain Pettis needed to get a finish in the third round Formiga managed to get Pettis’ back standing after a scramble and then spent the rest of the round as a human backpack never coming close to finishing the fight but never letting Pettis shake him and he’s dropped two out of his past three fights Jussier Formiga has been pursuing a chance to fight for the UFC flyweight belt for over five years, and a win at UFC 229 might put him closer than ever to a championship bout Once considered the best 125-pounder in the world, in times where flyweights weren’t welcome in the Octagon, Formiga enters the eight-sided cage Saturday night in Las Vegas to battle Sergio Pettis hoping that the winner of this contest will be considered the next in line for the gold against Henry Cejudo but both flyweight stars made it to the Octagon in Los Angeles where Cejudo made history by becoming the first 125-pounder to defeat “Mighty Mouse” but my coach offered me and the UFC accepted it,” Formiga told MMA Fighting but we were on stand-by in case someone fell through and I would step in They offered me Pettis right after and I obviously took it because I’m an employee and I have to fight.” The UFC has done that in multiple occasions now, with fighters like Kamaru Usman, Thiago Santos and Ronaldo Souza stepping on the scale to serve as back-up plans for main events or championship bouts Formiga didn’t fly to Los Angeles and wasn’t paid by the promotion to stay ready the Brazilian believes that the company’s willingness to give him a title shot under those circumstances indicates he could be next in line with an impressive victory at T-Mobile Arena It’s a title eliminator bout,” Formiga said “Sergio is coming off a big win over (Joseph) Benavidez so the winner should be the next contender.” Formiga and Pettis were originally scheduled to fight in Jan but Formiga was forced out of the event with an injured foot after Pettis lost a decision to future-champion Cejudo the Roufusport talent called out the Brazilian once again It all changed in June, after Pettis scored the biggest win of his MMA career, a split-decision victory over Joseph Benavidez ”We’ve been in collision course for a long time and the moment has finally arrived,” Formiga said I will put on a great performance,” he continued Everyone sees me as this grappler that goes for submissions only but many surprises can happen in this fight but we’re fighting MMA and anything can happen.” who has played at seven Olympics and seven World Cups makes final international appearance on Thursday at 43 with the Brazil midfielder’s career spanning seven World Cups and seven Olympics few have watched an international competition without her and no one has watched women’s football at the Olympics without her She has been ever-present in the women’s football ecosystem for so long that to even contemplate a major international tournament without the “ant” (Formiga in Portuguese a nickname given for a style of play) scurrying relentlessly over every blade of grass is like trying to envisage living the rest of your life without shoes or perhaps never being able to look at a piece of artwork again against India in Amazonas’s largest city Manaus on Thursday between us and a somewhat inconceivable reality despite her age at 43 The Bahia-born player has decided to step back from the international game for the second time after retiring in 2016 finished third at the 1999 World Cup and won three Pan American Games and six Copa América Femenino titles Today is when I realised I was screaming Formiga with everyone in Maracanã but Formiga is the most intelligent player that I’ve seen I’ve never seen someone so smart playing football like her.” The US two-times World Cup winner Megan Rapinoe paid tribute on Instagram “One of the very best to ever do it,” she said “Had the honour of playing with Formiga and of course against her And I truly cannot say there is anyone better on or off the field Thank you for allowing us all to bear witness to your greatness.” three years before Brazil’s 40-year ban on women’s football was lifted who returned to her first club São Paulo this year the US and France (where she helped Paris Saint-Germain to a first league title last season) around playing for eight Brazilian teams Formiga bursts between England’s Keira Walsh and Jill Scott at Middlesbrough’s Riverside Stadium in October 2019 Photograph: Lee Smith/Action Images/ReutersHer longevity is testament to her incredible ability on the ball and her energy in and out of possession but also a stark reminder of underinvestment in the talent pathways in Brazilian women’s football that has meant players such as Formiga Marta and Cristiane have yet to be pushed aside That issue prompted Formiga to step back in 2016 and was highlighted by the six-times world player of the year Marta in an impassioned speech into a camera after Brazil’s exit at the 2019 World Cup in France “Women’s football depends on you to survive,” Marta said We’re asking for support – you have to cry at the beginning and smile at the end ShowDownload the Guardian app from the iOS App Store on iPhone or the Google Play store on Android by searching for 'The Guardian'.If you already have the Guardian app make sure you’re on the most recent version.In the Guardian app then Notifications.Turn on sport notifications.Was this helpful?Thank you for your feedback.“It’s about wanting more it’s about being ready to play 90 minutes and then 30 minutes more Unfortunately she was right and the world of women’s football will look very different without its mainstay ShareSaveBusinessSportsMoneyUFC On ESPN 3 Preview: Stats, Facts And Numbers For Jussier Formiga Vs. Joseph BenavidezByTrent Reinsmith Trent Reinsmith is a Baltimore-based writer who covers MMA and hockey.Follow AuthorJun 29 03:00am EDTShareSaveThis article is more than 5 years old.Jussier Formiga and Joseph Benavidez meet in the flyweight co-main event of tonight's UFC on ESPN 3 .. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images) A rematch between top-ranked UFC flyweight competitors Jussier Formiga and Joseph Benavidez serves as the co-main event of tonight's UFC on ESPN 3 fight card Benavidez walked away with a first-round TKO win UFC on ESPN 3 takes place at Target Center in Minneapolis stats and numbers ahead of the matchup between Formiga and Benavidez Formiga earned a disclosed $86,000 ($43,000/$43/000) for his UFC 229 win over Sergio Pettis He defeated Deiveson Figueiredo in that March 2019 matchup Benavidez earned a disclosed $146,000 ($73,000/$73,000) for his November 2018 win over Alex Perez Benavidez has fought once since that contest Formiga has earned one “Performance of the Night” bonus award He took home $50,000 in bonus money for his UFC 221 submission win over Ben Nguyen Benavidez has earned three UFC fight-night bonus awards for a total of $150,000 Benavidez has not headlined a UFC PPV event Formiga has not headlined a non-PPV UFC event Benavidez has headlined one non-PPV UFC event He lost that fight to then-champion Demetrious Johnson by first-round knockout Formiga ranks second in UFC flyweight history in takedown defense at 86.2% Formiga ranks fifth in UFC flyweight history in significant strike defense with 66.2% Formiga ranks fifth in UFC flyweight history in total fight time with 2:32:02 Formiga ranks sixth in UFC flyweight history in significant strikes absorbed per minute with 2.05 Formiga ranks eighth in UFC flyweight history in takedowns landed with 20 Formiga is tied for ninth in UFC flyweight history in submission attempts with six Benavidez ranks second in UFC flyweight history in significant strikes landed with 664 Benavidez ranks third in UFC flyweight history in total fight time with 2:53:43 Benavidez ranks third in UFC flyweight history in knockdowns landed with five Benavidez ranks fourth in UFC flyweight history in total strikes landed with 825 Benavidez ranks fifth in UFC flyweight history in significant strikes landed per minute with 3.82 Benavidez ranks sixth in UFC flyweight history in takedown defense at 72.2% Benavidez ranks eighth in UFC flyweight history in strike differential at plus 0.83 Benavidez is tied for ninth in UFC flyweight history in takedowns landed with 19 Benavidez ranks 10th in UFC flyweight history in shortest average fight time at 11:35 Benavidez has fought for the UFC flyweight title twice Benavidez and Formiga met at UFC Fight Night 28 in September 2013 Benavidez won that contest by first-round TKO Stats via UFC Stats FILE - Brazil’s Formiga runs during a practice session of the Brazilian national soccer team in preparation for the women’s World Cup in France at the Granja Comary training center in Teresopolis 43-year-old midfielder Formiga is set to play her farewell match for Brazil this month Formiga’s final game for the national team will be against India on Nov The country’s soccer confederation made the announcement on Tuesday Formiga has played 233 matches for Brazil including at every Olympics since Atlanta in 1996 SAO PAULO (AP) — After competing in seven World Cups Brazil’s soccer confederation said Tuesday “The legendary Formiga will say goodbye to the women’s national team,” the confederation said on Instagram “It is a historic moment for a life dedicated to the yellow shirt and to soccer Brazil will host an international tournament against India Venezuela and Chile in the city in the heart of the Amazon but Formiga is set to play just in the first of those encounters named Miraildes Maciel Mota before she got the nickname that means “ant” in Portuguese had already said the Tokyo Olympics would be her last major competition with the national team She won silver in the 2004 and 2008 games in Athens and Beijing Her most recent World Cup appearance was 2019 in France More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports Fight to Win returns to Dallas for another night of submission-only superfights with a main event featuring two of the best Masters competitors on the scene: Josh Hinger and Rafael 'Formiga' Barbosa will face off in a Masters middleweight title match.  Highlight: Two Minutes Of Graceful Jiu-Jitsu From Rafael "Formiga" Barbosa Hinger is best known for no-gi accolades: he is a three-time IBJJF No-Gi World Champion and took bronze at 2019 ADCC World Championships in the 88 kg division.  Hinger captured his first Masters Worlds gold medal in 2020 winning both the medium-heavyweight and open class Masters 2 (age 35-40) division specifically his variation which he calls the "Hingertine."  Highlight: Hinger Dominates With Pace And Pressure At Masters Worlds Fight to Win 170 goes down on Apr 17 STREAMING: Watch the Fight to Win 170 Pro on FloCombat. SIGN UP HERE. Cast: Cast to your smart TV including Vizio On The Go: Download the FloSports app on iOS or Android Video footage from the event will be archived and stored in a video library for FloCombat subscribers to watch for the duration of their subscription Follow us on Twitter @FloCombat Follow us on Instagram @flocombat Like us on Facebook Get the most important MMA stories delivered straight to your inbox There’s a lot of history on display at the 2019 Women’s World Cup in France but no player represents more of that history — the heroics and the heartbreak the progress and the barriers — than Formiga This is her seventh World Cup — which breathing symbol of how far women’s football has come in the last four decades it was illegal for women to play football in Brazil the National Sports Council in Brazil drafted Article 54 a decree which said that women in the country “will not be allowed to practice sports incompatible with the conditions of their nature,” such as football These events were slated to be too “violent” for women and there was excessive concern by the white men in charge that the sport would interfere with a woman’s sexuality and femininity infused with national identity and ideas about virility that it wasn’t surprising that in 1941 the Brazilian government banned it for 40 years,” Dr associate professor of history at Hofstra University and co-author of Futbulera: A History of Women and Sports in Latin America Women and girls continued to play football during this time — a testament to the power of the sport and the tenacity of women in Brazil — but they had to do it in the shadows famously learned to play the sport by kicking doll heads since she didn’t have access to soccer balls “I you think about progress that way it was illegal for Brazilian women to play football She’s playing on a national team that didn’t exist when she was born it was against the law — if you think about it that way Formiga was 17 years old when she played for the Brazilian team in the 1995 Women’s World Cup in Sweden She was 18 years old when women’s soccer debuted at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta There has literally never been a women’s soccer tournament in the Olympics that didn’t include Formiga She thought about retiring before this World Cup but decided to stay when she realized the team needed her — it still has not cultivated enough talent to replace her “I was frustrated,” Formiga told the New York Times “I had fought so hard for recognition for women’s soccer and I wanted conditions to get better for us women players Inside the labor movements that are taking women's soccer to new heights women’s football in Brazil remains rife with sexism and bigotry that have stifled its growth — the men in charge of the sport in the country seem much more concerned with making sure the women look feminine and remain calm and composed than in investing in their success in the sport “Now the women are getting more beautiful They go in the field in an elegant manner,” Marco Aurelio Cunha the head of co-ordination for women’s football in Brazil “Women’s football used to copy men’s football It’s not a woman dressed as a man.” a few prominent Brazilian players — including Formiga — wrote a letter to the Confederation of Brazilian Football (CBF) protesting the CBF’s decision to fire the women’s national team’s first female coach and reinstate the team’s former head coach Vadão is still the team’s head coach he told reporters that women were particularly emotional and hard to calm down in the locker room and that might be why they were struggling in the lead-up to the World Cup These sexist ideals fuel inequality. As Elsey wrote in SBNation this month men’s professional soccer players in Brazil can earn as much as $125,000 a month none of this sexism is exclusive to Brazil — in fact it isn’t even the only nation that has banned women from playing football the Football Association — the governing body of football in England — banned women’s football because it was “quite unsuitable for females and ought not to be encouraged.” Primarily it took this step because it was threatened by the popularity of the women’s game The ban was officially in place until 1971 banned women from playing football in 1955 And many women are excluded from the sport due to racist and religious discrimination women are still not allowed to even attend men’s football matches since they are banned from sports stadiums FIFA just lifted its hijab ban for women’s footballers in 2014 while France still has its hijab ban in place There is a long way to go until true equality is reached Formiga is expected to be a starter on Sunday when Brazil faces the hometown French team in the Round of 16 which means there’s a significant possibility that this will be Formiga’s final World Cup appearance or how many more years the still fit and healthy legend has in professional football one thing is certain: She’ll never stop fighting for progress “There are more teams in the women’s league, more championships and more women who want to play,” Formiga said Jussier Formiga is looking pick up where he left off 4-2-1 UFC) this Saturday at UFC on ESPN+ 28 in Brasilia and hopes to insert himself back in the flyweight title picture Moreno has looked impressive during his second UFC stint most recently snapping Kai Kara-France's eight-fight winning streak at UFC 245 with emphasis on boxing," Formiga told MMA Junkie I'm looking to defend my spot in the rankings I'm also looking forward to fighting in Brazil again after three years." but another good victory should certainly put me within striking distance of a title shot." Formiga saw his own four-fight winning streak come to an end at the hands of Joseph Benavidez who went on to contend for the vacant UFC flyweight title Formiga's last win was over the other half of the flyweight title fight who knocked Benavidez out at UFC on ESPN+ 27 but wasn't crowned champion due to missing weight So his win over Figueiredo holds even more value now "Deiveson Figueiredo was a very difficult opponent," Formiga said I was able to show him that once you get into the top five I was happy to beat him in convincing fashion." RelatedJohnny Walker: 'My errors won't be repeated' at UFC on ESPN+ 28 UFC on ESPN+ 28 free fight: Kevin Lee bounces back with emphatic knockout over Gregor Gillespie UFC on ESPN+ 28 poster: Kevin Lee set for dangerous road trip to face Charles Oliveira The loss to Benavidez set Formiga back in his championship pursuit but he took valuable lessons out of the defeat as he looks to put the setback behind him "I had a good training camp – that's the truth I took some kicks around the waistline on the second round I'm highly motivated for my clash against Brandon Moreno." Jussier Formiga def. Deiveson Figueiredo at UFC Nashville: Best photos Joseph Benavidez owns a win over flyweight champion Henry Cejudo. He's one of the best and longest-tenured 125-pound fighters ever. Heck, he even came in with a previous win over his opponent, Jussier Formiga All Benavidez needed to do was get a victory -- a second one -- over Formiga to put himself in line for another title fight Benavidez cracked Formiga with a head kick in the second round pounding Formiga with punches against the cage until he fell The TKO finish came at 4:47 of the second in the co-main event of UFC Minneapolis on Saturday night at Target Center Benavidez said a chance at Cejudo's flyweight belt was what he wanted next "He's calling out a lot of guys that don't make sense," Benavidez said Formiga opened up a cut on Benavidez's left eye in the first round with a right hand and his thumb grazing against the eye Formiga had a nice guillotine toward the end of the first Formiga had dominant position on the ground and Benavidez somehow scrambled out in a wild sequence he could feel Formiga "breaking or at least slowing down." The kick was one he learned from late legendary coach Sean Tompkins it's those second and third shots that are gonna put him down," Benavidez said Benavidez (28-5) has won three in a row and nine of his past 10. In the UFC, Benavidez has lost only twice: to former longtime flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson (twice) and to Sergio Pettis is tied for the most wins in UFC flyweight history (13) with Johnson and has the most flyweight knockouts (5) Formiga (23-6) came in on a four-fight winning streak The 34-year-old Brazil native could have also put himself in line for a title shot with a win He previously lost a tight split decision to Cejudo in 2015 Anthony Rocco Martin surely didn't enjoy himself But it was Demian Maia being Demian Maia -- and doing just enough to take home a majority decision (29-28 seated against the cage in both the first and second rounds He landed some light ground and pound but completely tied Martin up Martin had almost no offense over the first 10 minutes He got top position and landed some elbows Maia (27-9) has now won two in a row following a three-fight losing streak The 41-year-old Brazilian is known as one of the best jiu-jitsu practitioners in the history of MMA Martin (16-5) had won four straight leading into this one The 29-year-old Boston native had been red-hot since moving back up to welterweight last year Maia has 21 career UFC wins, the second-most in history. Donald Cerrone is first With the fight on the line in the third round Vinc Pichel absolutely put it on Roosevelt Roberts with his grappling nearly had a guillotine and landed ground and pound It was enough to pull out a unanimous decision (29-28 looked good in the first with his striking But Pichel took over with his wrestling and grappling in the second Pichel finished the second round in full mount which was something of a teaser for the final five minutes Pichel (12-2) has won five of his past six fights, with the only loss coming in that stretch to the lightweight contender, Gregor Gillespie Marco Polo Reyes has a knack for getting roped into brawls When that happens against someone like Drew Dober Dober dropped Reyes early in the fight with a combination Dober landed a missile of a straight left hand to drop Reyes against the cage Dober landed a flurry and finished things by knockout at 1:07 of the first round 1 NC) has won 4 of 5 and six of his past eight fights native seems to have settled back into the lightweight division after a brief move to welterweight due to weight-cutting issues has lost two straight and three of his past four When someone has the power of Alonzo Menifield all it takes is one mistake from an opponent missing a spinning back kick and slipping to the mat Menifield dived in with a right-hand haymaker that landed to the jaw A few punches on the ground later and Craig was knocked out at 3:19 of the first round Menifield (9-0) has finished eight of his career victories The 31-year-old Fortis MMA product has stopped his last four fights in the first -- in the UFC and Dana White's Contender Series -- and appears to be a serious prospect in the light heavyweight division has lost two of his last three and five of his last seven bouts he was able to eat two spinning back elbows more effective blows in every round to pick up the unanimous decision (30-27 A wild sequence occurred in the third round Ramos also slipped on the technique and seemed to injure his leg which Newson's kicks likely contributed to Newson was not able to take advantage as time expired Ramos (13-2) has won five of six, including four of five in the UFC. The 23-year-old Brazilian is a promising prospect in the bantamweight division. Newson (9-2), a 30-year-old California native, was signed on short notice to make his debut in place of the injured Sergio Pettis Eryk Anders shrugged off a takedown attempt "Ya Boy" seemed to grow sick of how the fight was playing out -- and landed a blistering straight left hand to wobble Vinicius Moreira A left-right hook combination and ground and pound later and Anders was the winner via a vicious TKO at 1:18 of the first round Anders (12-4) snapped a three-fight losing streak with the victory The 32-year-old Alabama native said afterward that this win did well to "right the ship." Moreira (9-3) has lost two straight in the UFC after coming in off Dana White's Contender Series Eryk Anders snapped his three-fight skid with a first-round stoppage of Vinicius Moreira. Tim Gruber for ESPNJared Gordon defeated Dan Moret by unanimous decisionThings weren't necessarily working on the feet Jared Gordon adjusted and took over on the ground en route to a unanimous decision (30-27 Gordon took down Moret in the second and third rounds and landed hard ground and pound Gordon made it known once again what he fights for -- to raise awareness about addiction Gordon is a survivor of multiple overdoses and now works as an activist He said he's not there to just win fights and asked the crowd "How many of you shot your last bag of dope tonight before coming here?" the people that are still using and the people who are in recovery." Gordon (15-3) snapped a two-fight losing streak with the victory The 30-year-old New York native has won six of eight overall has lost his first three fights in the UFC Maybe Dalcha Lungiambula was lulling Dequan Townsend into a false sense of security After two straight rounds of takedowns and ground control Lungiambula came out with a blitz in the third and cracked Townsend with a left-right combination that dropped him Lungiambula got mount and dropped vicious ground and pound to finish the bout by TKO at 42 seconds of the third Lungiambula (10-1), making his UFC debut, has won six straight. The 33-year-old Congo native has finished six of his 10 wins. Townsend (21-9), a 33-year-old Michigan native, was signed by the UFC earlier this week on short notice when Justin Ledet withdrew due to injury This was the opportunity Amanda Ribas had been waiting for since 2017 One month after her two-year USADA suspension was terminated Ribas finished Emily Whitmire by rear-naked choke submission at 2:10 of the second round Ribas was suspended two years by USADA in June 2017 before ever making her UFC debut The suspension was terminated when more information was available about ostarine the prohibited substance found in Ribas' system Ribas took Whitmire down and got her back in the first round with chances to finish She did indeed get the stoppage in the second round after another bodylock takedown Ribas (7-1) has finished six of her seven victories looks like someone to watch in the women's strawweight division What a way to kick off the UFC's return to Minnesota Maurice Greene dropped Junior Albini early then came back to stop Albini by TKO at 3:38 of the first round A Greene right hand dropped Albini to a knee the first time and it was the same right hand Albini was able to give Greene some trouble after getting up from the initial barrage But Greene's range and precision made the difference Greene (8-2) has won three straight in the UFC all of a sudden and could be a future factor in the heavyweight division. The 6-foot-7, 32-year-old Minnesota native is a veteran of The Ultimate Fighter 28. He called out Andrei Arlovski afterward Jussier Formiga is slated to meet Yuta Sasaki at the UFC Japan card in Saitama on Friday and despite being many miles away from home he is feeling nostalgic about the opportunity The flyweight veteran only fought once in Japan before. Back in 2009, when he was a 6-0 rising talent from Natal who had just won the Shooto South American belt, Formiga stepped into the Shooto ring in Japan against Shinichi Kojima and I never had the chance to fight there again,” Formiga told MMA Fighting I only got in Japan four days before the fight Formiga defeated Kojima via unanimous decision in Tokyo, and returned to Brazil to defend his belt against Alexandre Pantoja before going overseas again. The Kimura Nova Uniao talent won six of his next seven bouts before signing with the UFC, but came up short every time he got any closer to Demetrious Johnson’s belt Formiga now hopes to kick off his next run to the title in Japan "I asked the UFC to fight in Japan,” he said Formiga moved his camp to Arizona for the first time ahead of UFC Japan, training with his Kimura coach Jair Lorenco, and the likes of Renan Barao and Ryan Bader He also completely changed one of the most important aspects of his camp: his diet "I stayed around 145 pounds instead of 150 or 155 before the fight,” he said "The only difference is that I changed my diet and trained lighter than I used to." one of the best flyweight talents to come from Japan and Formiga welcomes the challenge he brings to the table He was losing his last fight against (Justin) Scoggins but eventually submitted him Beating him in Japan will be really important for me but I feel that he’s more of a grappler than a striker it doesn’t matter if I’m fighting a striker or a grappler but I feel like it’s a bigger challenge for me to face a grappler." Sasaki scored submissions in his three UFC wins but Formiga believes he will change his gameplan at the Saitama Super Arena but that won’t be a problem for me,” he said "We worked hard on every angle of the fight.” Returning to the country where he became the best flyweight in the world Formiga makes no secrets about his goal: he wants the UFC title He’s not in a position to challenge flyweight kingpin “Mighty Mouse" just yet but the fact that every fighter who defeated Formiga earned a shot at gold shows the Brazilian that he’s still a big name in the division "I believe pretty much everyone already fought for the belt and I haven’t but I decided to stop thinking about it for a while because it was affecting my performances,” Formiga said "Every UFC fighter wants to fight for the belt and it’s not different with me A big win for me over Sasaki will get me a lot of credit in the UFC." “My brothers didn’t like that I played football with the other boys,” recalls Formiga Apparently she should have been “at home her passion for the game was too strong to be deterred by nonsensical gender stereotyping ‘the Ant’ (Formiga in Portuguese) embarked on one of the longest and most storied careers in world football The only player to have appeared at a staggering seven World Cups this month the 41-year-old became the oldest player in Women's World Cup history and she’s also the only athlete to participate in each of the six Olympic Games since women’s football became an Olympic sport in 1996 Her seemingly everlasting journey began more than two decades ago and she’s showing few signs of slowing down but her legacy will be eternal - assured not only by her serial record-breaking on the pitch but by the fight she is leading from the sidelines championing the ongoing battle for women’s football and female empowerment with the sort of industry that earned the name that will live forever in the Brazilian game “The nickname came from a supporter a global children's charity harnessing the power and popularity of football to help some of the world’s poorest children to fulfil their potential while fighting to transform girls’ lives through education with their Because I am a Girl campaign “I was the shortest girl in my class and I ran all over the pitch So he thought the nickname matched the way I played” The Ant is yet to slow since overcoming every obstacle in her path the first of which arrived on her own doorstep the difficulties  of becoming a female footballer in a universe dominated by men was made clear from the outset My brothers didn’t like that I played football with the other boys because I was way better than them and their classmates joked about it Then they said things like ‘football isn’t for women.’ young Miraildes found more encouragement from the matriarch of the house I think it was because she couldn’t stay at home as all around her girls gave up on their dreams fearing the harassment and criticism that accompanied their love for the 'Beautiful Game' Sometimes I would go to their homes to invite them (to play) that fear of being of prejudice was always there It’s not easy to deal with the harassment particularly when not only does it come from others That made so many girls give up their dreams.” and that leaving it all behind and fleeing to the Salvador suburbs beginning what would become a momentous career EC Bahia before heading south to Sao Paulo Her new home offered living quarters for players “My biggest challenge was living by myself so far away from my family… I suffered a lot back home but you miss your family the most when they’re not there “It’s like losing your foundations and that’s family whether you like it or not you can count on your mother to provide a shoulder to cry on and helped prepare her for the sort of globetrotting career that is crucial to any woman’s goal of sustaining a professional football career.“ It’s funny because it’s very hard to keep playing professionally in this constantly-changing sport Sometimes women’s football peaks in Brazil and you get your hopes up it’s back to square one and you’re left clueless.” The 2004 Olympics provided a case in point Formiga and her colleagues were lauded around the country for their silver medal “After the silver medal at the 2004 Olympics we really believed things would finally get better it was like women’s football didn’t exist in Brazil “There’s no proper work done to ensure we kick on and bring through new generations here in Brazil while here we still face the same challenges as before Formiga is in France this month hoping to lead the Selecao to their first ever Women’s World Cup Nothing gives her as much pride as representing her country but the reality is that she shouldn't even really be there had any sort renovation process actually taken place that gives me great pride and huge satisfaction and is hopeful that women’s football will see better days in her country “We have some clubs in Brazil where players have workers’ rights and are being properly appreciated and we’ll get there eventually." She has already attracted plaudits for her showing at France 2019 rightfully seeing her career celebrated by those who recognise her incredible legacy in the sport “I don’t want to be remembered as the player who played for so many years who was at all those Olympic Games and World Cups but as someone who fought for improvements in women’s football in my country My goal is not to receive thousands of tributes and homages and then I would rather see all that go into making things better for women’s football “Only those of us who went through hell know what we had to endure to get to the point we are today.” And few are better placed than Formiga to lead the fight Plan International UK is a global children’s charity We work to give every child the same chance in life Top-ranked flyweight Jussier Formiga was let go by the UFC in a move that surprised many people in the MMA community – the Brazilian included Formiga told MMA Fighting he was informed of the release this past week one month after the company reached out asking if he was healthy to compete before the end of the year “My manager said I was on the final stages of recovery “They contacted my manager again last week and said they were going to cut 75 athletes “I can’t complain; I can’t be ungrateful to the UFC,” Formiga said even though I never felt truly valued in the UFC Everything in life has a beginning and an end.” once considered the best 125-pounder on the planet before the UFC opened the weight class never got his shot at the promotion’s gold “I think there were many opportunities I could have fought for the belt,” Formiga said “I fought athletes that fought for the belt I won three in a row and they said I needed one more before fighting for the belt and I lost a split decision to [Henry] Cejudo in Mexico they said they couldn’t create an interim belt because Cejudo had the undisputed [belt] That’s why I say I didn’t feel completely valued in the UFC And I was the only guy to beat the current champion [laughs] but Formiga said he has already been offered a deal from Brave CF to compete at their flyweight grand prix; he turned it down because he still can’t take a fight Formiga’s manager is also in talks with ONE Championship and Bellator I’ll definitely think about it,” Formiga said of moving up to bantamweight to join Bellator because the company doesn’t have a 125-pound class The 35-year old Marta has a silver medal from 2008 and 43-year-old Formiga has silver medals from 2004 and 2008 They were fourth in Rio de Janeiro in 2016 The most notable absence in coach Pia Sundhage’s 18-woman list on Friday was 36-year-old striker Cristiane who has played all major tournaments for Brazil since the 2003 Women’s World Cup Sundhage also picked four players as potential replacements: Goalkeeper Aline Reis (Granadilla Tenerife) defender Letícia Santos (Eintracht Frankfurt) midfielder Andressa Alves (Roma) and striker Giovana Queiroz (Barcelona) Legend doesn't even begin to cover it. At 43, Formiga will play in her *seventh* Olympics for Brazil. There hasn't been a women's soccer tournament at the Olympics without her 🇧🇷 🙌 pic.twitter.com/Uyu3hlU5l4 ASSOCIATED PRESS The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only Betting and gambling content is intended for individuals 21+ and is based on individual commentators' opinions and not that of Sports Illustrated or its affiliates All picks and predictions are suggestions only and not a guarantee of success or profit If you or someone you know has a gambling problem crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER Read on for UFC Fight Night prelim results.. leads the list of Women's World Cup call-ups. Photo by Frederick Breedon/Getty ImagesBrazil's 41-year-old midfielder Formiga is set to become the first player to participate at seven World Cups after she was named in their squad on Thursday for the women's tournament in France The Paris Saint-Germain midfielder currently shares the record of participating in six World Cups with Homare Sawa who led Japan's women to their World Cup triumph in 2011 to be 41 and have the possibility of playing in a seventh World Cup," Formiga said recently "The excitement is the same as the first time three players have played at five World Cups -- Mexico's Rafael Marquez and Antonio Carbajal and Germany's Lothar Matthaeus If Formiga plays in France she will also become the oldest to appear in a women's World Cup Brazil coach Vadao said one of his priorities after taking charge of the team in 2017 was to convince Formiga to play in the Copa America which served as a World Cup qualifying tournament "I made every effort to make Formiga come back after she had retired from the national side," he said "She is a reference to us and there's no way we could leave her out." Formiga is joined in the Brazil squad by several other well-known faces Marta is the top scorer in the history of the women's World Cup with 15 goals Copa America champions Brazil have been drawn in Group C along with Jamaica Although they have appeared in all seven Women's World Cup tournaments the South Americans have yet to lift the trophy with their best performance coming as runners-up to Germany in China in 2007 They are also heading to France under a cloud their lowest position since the ranking system began Formiga told her teammates earlier this year that she would keep on fighting are improvements in our sport so that we can get more respect," she said "What we need to do is win an important tournament like the World Cup or the Olympics We've tried many times and never managed it but we'll keep trying Alex Perez earned the biggest win of his career with a blistering first-round finish against Jussier Formiga in the featured early prelim at UFC 250 It was a series of devastating leg kicks employed by Perez as he absolutely dismantled Formiga from the first exchange until the last when he put the Brazilian on the canvas and referee Keith Peterson had no choice but to stop the fight The mounting damage brought an end to the fight at just 4:06 into the first round as Perez notches his third win in a row with this latest victory coming over a top five ranked opponent It was also just the 12th time in UFC history that a fight has been stopped due to leg kicks “I want that title shot,” Perez said following his TKO win A TKO due to calf kicks! @AlexPerezMMA chops down Formiga at the end of RD 1. Action switches to @ESPN next. #UFC250 pic.twitter.com/8vVszv48rh Perez was the aggressor while displaying a kick to Formiga’s calf that immediately began paying dividends As the welt on Formiga’s leg started changing colors He followed those leg kicks with serious power behind his punches which never allowed Formiga to really find any kind of rhythm with his own striking Perez continued to chip away at Formiga’s lead leg until he put the Brazilian on the mat but refused to follow him to the ground Perez cracked Formiga with one more kick that saw him crumble down to the mat and that was enough to stop the fight Perez is now 6-1 in the UFC with four of those victories coming by knockout or submission Considering his current streak and finishing ability Perez probably won’t be far away from title contention as he moves forward this year The future of the UFC flyweight division seems uncertain right now but that won’t stop the company from booking more flyweight bouts Figueiredo (15-0) is 4-0 in the Octagon, including stoppages over John Moraga, Joseph Morales and Marco Antonio Beltran. “Deus da Guerra” was scheduled to face Joseph Benavidez at UFC 233 but wouldn’t be ready to fight a week before The UFC Fight Night card, which airs on ESPN+, features Stephen Thompson vs. Anthony Pettis in a welterweight main event at the Bridgestone Arena The UFC is planning a fight between top-ranked flyweights Sergio Pettis and Jussier Formiga for Oct. 6, sources confirmed to MMA Fighting following a report by ESPN UFC 229 will take place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas Pettis (17-3) is fresh off the biggest victory of his MMA career, defeating former title contender Joseph Benavidez via decision in June. Pettis, who lost to Henry Cejudo in his previous bout Formiga (21-5) enters the cage coming off back-to-back submission wins over Ben Nguyen and Ulka Sasaki improving to 6-2 with three finishes since 2014 The UFC flyweight division continues without a king after an overweight Deiveson Figueiredo flattened Joseph Benavidez in the main event of UFC Norfolk on Saturday and a top-ranked 125-pounder put Figueiredo on blast Jussier Formiga, who faces Brandon Moreno at UFC Brasilia on March 14 was hoping to insert himself in the title picture with a victory in two weeks but now wonders what’s the future holds as the flyweight championship remains vacant but Deiveson f*cked up by missing weight,” Formiga told MMA Fighting but if you’re fighting for the belt you can’t miss weight but left the belt vacant and we don’t know what’s going to happen I’m fighting Brandon in two weeks and I think this fight can decide a lot of things Formiga unsurprisingly defends that the winner of his upcoming fight deserves to face Figueiredo for the UFC belt instead of an immediate rematch between “Deus da Guerra” and Benavidez, which was suggested by Figueiredo’s manager Wallid Ismail Formiga scored a decision victory over Figueiredo when they fought in the Octagon in March 2019 but his record shows a pair of TKO losses to Benavidez he won the fight and can become a contender again,” Formiga said “We have a fight against a top-5 in two weeks so a lot of things can happen in our weight class Just be patient and see what the matchmakers will do As for the potential end of the flyweight division, an idea that gained traction before Henry Cejudo dethroned Demetrious Johnson and successfully defended his title against T.J. Dillashaw Formiga offers a passionate defense of his weight class “There was a rumor that the division was going to end but then Cejudo went there and beat Demetrious,” Formiga said at least the division is not stuck anymore But all fighters can’t pay for one fighter’s mistake but the whole division can’t pay for his fuckup We have a lot of wood to burn and things to show “(Women’s featherweight division) doesn’t have 10 fighters and the division continues so it doesn’t make sense to end our division We have a top 15 that is full of tough athletes and we have great chances of winning this belt for Brazil.” Home » MMA News » UFC » UFC 229 Results: Jussier Formiga defeats Sergio Pettis A key flyweight bout between perennial division contenders Jussier Formiga and Sergio Pettis served as the featured bout of tonight’s UFC 229 prelims Sergio Pettis enters tonight’s contest having won five of his past six fights. His latest win came over former title challenger Joseph Benavidez at UFC 225 in Chicago Jussier Formiga comes in to UFC 229 sporting an overall record of 21-5 Round one begins and Pettis quickly takes the center of the octagon He paws with his jab as Formiga circles along the outside Formiga charges in for a takedown but it is stuffed Formiga dives in and takes the fight to the canvas The horn sounds shortly after to end round one Round two begins and once again it is a tentative start He fakes a takedown and then comes over the top with a right Sergio looks to be frustrated but comes forward with a combination Formiga ducks under a follow up punch and scores a takedown Pettis fires back short shots from off of his back He passes to half guard and begins using some head and arm pressure Pettis scrambles back to his feet just as the horn sounds to end round two Round three begins and Pettis fires off a left jab that lands He comes forward with a combination that ends in a left hook Sergio’s corner told him he likely needs the finish The fighters tie up and Formiga jumps on the back of Pettis Jussier immediately begins searching for a rear-naked choke He locks in a body triangle and Pettis is in all sorts of trouble Pettis tries to scramble but Formiga is able to sink his arm under his chin He manages to survive but Formiga is still on his back with a body triangle locked in He begins to soften up Pettis with punches Under a minute remains in the round but Pettis just can’t seem to shake Formiga This article appeared first on BJPENN.COM BJPENN.COM is your premier source for all MMA and UFC News We serve you with the latest breaking news It is also the home of 2X UFC Hall of Fame Champion After a decade of on-line operation BJP has evolved into the most reliable destination for all of your MMA needs contact@bjpenn.com advertising@freestar.com 2025 BJ Penn Enterprises Privacy Policy 2024 BJ Penn Enterprises Privacy Policy Marta was right when saying Formiga will retire eventually but PSG’s record-breaking midfielder is preparing for a seventh Olympic Games next summer having qualified unbeaten for the Women’s World Cup all eyes were on one opponent: Brazil’s six-times Ballon d’Or winner Necks prepared to strain for a glimpse of the ageing giant of women’s football It may have been a friendly but at 34 the Brazilian’s career clock was ticking it would be the only time to see her in the flesh When Marta limped off after 22 minutes the disappointment of the crowd was palpable. The Brazil performance matched Marta’s lacklustre mood but in the then 40-year-old Formiga they had a player who would not subscribe to her teammates’ indifference – with the young winger Ludmila the exception alongside her. Read moreIt was by no means a vintage Formiga performance and as far from a Seleção classic as could be who on Thursday signed a new contract which will take her up to her seventh Olympic Games next summer and keep her at the top of European football into her 44th year plays with abandon and a desire to progress the game every time she laces up her boots Unlike the one-word monikers of many Brazilian greats not a shortened version of her name: Miraildes Maciel Mota Triggered by her unselfish play and intensity her teammates on the streets of Salvador called her the Portuguese word for ant She has played 77 games for PSG since joining in 2017 and won the Coupe de France a freak storm helping the team deny Lyon the treble in 2018 Previously she spent almost all her career in the US and Brazilian leagues – a year in Sweden the outlier On the international stage she has left a mark in the record books Formiga made her World Cup debut in 1995 as a 17-year-old when Brazil beat Norway in the third-place play-off to earn bronze and has become the only player to have appeared in seven World Cups – all but one of the Fifa-approved tournaments Germany’s Lothar Matthäus and Mexico’s Antonio Carbajal and Rafael Márquez each played in five men’s World Cups After the 2016 Rio Olympics Formiga announced her international retirement to help the team through qualifying for France 2019 Even then she had no intention of playing at the tournament but eight months before kick-off she told Fifa’s website: “Breaking barriers spurs me on.” In the Group C opener against Jamaica she overtook Christie Pearce (Rampone) as the oldest player to compete at a Women’s World Cup at 41 years and 98 days 150 weren’t born when Formiga made her Brazil debut Formiga celebrates scoring against Germany in the semi-finals at the Beijing Olympics Photograph: Armando Franca/APYou could argue that Formiga’s longevity at the top of Brazilian football is an indictment of the development of female players in the country In that game against Jamaica Cristiane Rozeira became the oldest player to score a Women’s World Cup hat-trick The talent is not coming through to force these legends to make way Perhaps an inability to progress the domestic game in Brazil significantly and provide pathways to the top is part of the reason why the Seleção have failed to better finishing as World Cup runners-up in 2007 The pioneers have rolled back the years time and again in an effort to force change. It prompted a passionate plea from Marta on their exit from last summer’s tournament “There is not going to be a Formiga forever “Women’s football is relying on you to survive Cry in the beginning to smile at the end.” Although Formiga had not intended to play internationals beyond the Rio Games her appetite has clearly been whetted for a little more with PSG saying she aims to “to end her phenomenal international career in 2021 at the Tokyo Olympics” It will probably be their last push for the top and the end of an era PARIS (AP) — Brazilian veteran Formiga signed a contract extension with French club Paris Saint-Germain on Thursday The 42-year-old midfielder played in a record seventh Women’s World Cup last year and has made nearly 200 appearances for Brazil She has played 77 games for PSG since joining in 2017 and captained the team when it won the French Cup in 2018 “(Formiga) will play her 27th professional season in 2020-2021,” PSG said in a statement ”(She) is quite simply a legend in women’s football.” Formiga became the oldest player to score in a European competition at the age of 41 years netting against Sporting Braga in the Champions League won the Copa America with the Seleção in 2018 She has represented Brazil at six Olympics between 1996 and 2016 and plans to end her international career at the rescheduled Tokyo Games in 2021 More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/Soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports Stay secure and make sure you have the best reading experience possible by upgrading your browser!