Maria Eduarda Teixeira dos Santos

Duda’s earliest public youth-football trail connects her to Projeto Futebol É Vida, a community football pathway from Alto Vera Cruz in Belo Horizonte.

Her youth records already show the detail behind her name: she is Maria Eduarda Teixeira dos Santos, but football knows her simply as Duda.

Duda has taken inspiration from Kobe Bryant’s famous “Mamba Mentality,” using it in her own football posts as a nod to discipline, hard work and the drive to keep improving.

Duda’s agency presents her as a modern, versatile defensive player — comfortable as both a defensive midfielder and centre-back, with strong game reading, marking intensity and confidence in build-up play.