Brazilian player Marta Vieira Da Silva participates during a press conference prior to the Golden Ball award ceremony in Zurich, Switzerland, on January 12, 2015. (Xinhua/Marcio Machado/ZUMAPRESS)

UNITED NATIONS, May 9 (Xinhua) -- United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Thursday announced the appointment of world-renowned soccer player Marta Vieira da Silva as one of his new Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Advocates for 2019-2020.

The advocates are 17 influential public figures who are tasked by the secretary-general to promote the goals, raise awareness with new audiences, maintain global commitment and call for greater ambition and scalable action to achieve the SDGs by 2030, according to a press release issued by the UN Women.

An icon and role model for many, Marta, as she is universally known by her fans, is widely regarded as "the best female soccer player of all time," said the press release.

Marta, 33, is also the UN Women Goodwill Ambassador for Women and Girls in Sport. She currently plays for Orlando Pride in the National Women's Soccer League in the United States and as a forward on the Brazil national team.

She is the all-time top scorer of the FIFA Women's World Cup tournament and has been named Player of the Year six times. She was also a member of the Brazilian national teams that won the silver medal at the 2004 and 2008 Summer Olympics, named one of six ambassadors for the 2014 FIFA World Cup held in Brazil, and expected to compete in the upcoming FIFA Women's World Cup.

Marta's selection as one of the SDG advocates reflects her role in driving for the gender equality and empowerment of women that underpin the success of all the goals, as well as her strong commitment to the UN, having previously also been a goodwill ambassador for the United Nations Development Programme, according to the press release. Enditem