The next Marta? Lyon’s teenage prodigy Giovanna Waksman turning heads

When Giovanna Waksman moved from Florida to OL Lyonnes at just 16 — a club many older players can only dream of joining — the media quickly labelled her ‘the next Marta’. But have the French champions really discovered a generational talent?

OL Lyonnes have been dominant in the Première Ligue and, with eight UEFA Women’s Champions League titles, remain the most successful club in women’s football history. Their squad is packed with stars, including Ballon d’Or winner Ada Hegerberg and Germany’s outstanding winger Jule Brand. And now, a teenager has joined their ranks.

Lyon are not a club that recruit by chance — so what made this young player stand out? Giovanna Waksman may have only just turned 17, but she has already attracted attention from both media and top clubs. She is often compared to her compatriot and one of the greatest players of all time, Marta — who, alongside Lionel Messi, is one of her biggest inspirations. Football runs in her blood: her father, Renato Costa, was also a professional player, and she is continuing that family legacy.

Her path, however, has not been easy. She began at local side Sogima FC before moving to Botafogo’s academy at the age of 11. With no girls’ team at the club, Giovanna was the only girl playing in a boys’ side. Despite facing sexist comments, she became the team’s top scorer in competitions.

Perhaps that experience shaped her. Perhaps that’s why she plays the way she does today — fearless, uncompromising. It’s also a reminder that even young girls in football are not immune to the sexism that still exists in the game.

MVP trophy for 15th birthday

In 2022, at just 13 years old, she moved to the United States to join FC Florida. A new environment. A new level. And then came the numbers: 166 goals in 41 matches. 87 goals in a single season. Named Florida’s best player. At that point, she was no longer just a ‘talent’ — she was a phenomenon. And it didn’t go unnoticed by Brazil’s U17 national team coaches.

She made her debut in 2024. She celebrated her 15th birthday at the South American U17 Championship, where she scored five goals, finished as the tournament’s top scorer, and helped Brazil win the title. By then, comparisons to Marta were no longer surprising — it was clear this young star had a huge future ahead.

Unfortunately, she was unable to replicate that success at the U17 World Cup the following year. She started strongly, scoring three goals, but suffered an injury shortly after and could not continue in the tournament. Still, it did nothing to slow her rise — scouts had already made up their minds.

She wasn’t even 17 when the offer from OL Lyonnes arrived — and that’s the kind of opportunity you simply don’t turn down. Fans are yet to see her in a Lyon shirt as she continues her recovery from injury, but at a club of this level, she is in the best possible hands.

Giovanna Waksman is an exceptional talent for her age, but a move to a club like Lyon inevitably brings pressure and attention. All that remains is to hope she can handle it — with the support of her coaches and teammates — and continue to deliver the extraordinary numbers that have already defined her young career.