Mariléia dos Santos

Mariléia dos Santos (born 19 November 1963), commonly known as Michael Jackson, is a Brazilian former footballer who played as a striker for the Brazil women's national football team.

Early life Mariléia dos Santos had 10 siblings, and they all liked football, making her choose the sport. The nickname "Michael Jackson" was an homage to the singer, used by both her teammates and given by television commentator Luciano do Valle. Speaking in May 1999, United States player Julie Foudy did not see much resemblance: "She didn't really look like Michael Jackson, but she did wear one glove."

Career Michael Jackson began her professional career at EC Radar,

After her appearance with Brazil in the 1995 FIFA Women's World Cup, Michael Jackson accepted a contract offer from Italian Serie A club Torino.

Michael Jackson played for the Brazil women's national football team at the 1995 FIFA Women's World Cup, as well as at the Olympic debut of women's football in 1996.

Retirement Michael Jackson retired from playing aged 46, with a reported 1,574 goals to her credit. In 2011, she took a job at a newly created woman's football division of the Brazilian Ministry of Sports, helping develop more tournaments for the mostly neglected female version.

She was named joint third place in the International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS) South America's best Women's Footballer of the Century list, in a list completely populated by her national teammates; she was tied with Roseli.