Aitana Bonmatí, the exceptional midfielder from Barcelona and Spain, has secured the prestigious Ballon d’Or Féminin after an extraordinary year that witnessed remarkable achievements for both her club and her national team.
At the age of 25, Bonmatí played an integral role in Barcelona’s triumph in Liga F and the Champions League during the previous season. Subsequently, she led Spain to World Cup glory during the summer, an accomplishment that solidified her reputation as one of the finest talents in women’s football.
Her performance at the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand earned her the title of Player of the Tournament. In addition to this prestigious recognition, she was recently honored as the UEFA Women’s Player of the Year.
The Ballon d’Or ceremony in Paris saw Barcelona being celebrated as the women’s team of the year. Aitana Bonmatí’s teammate, Patri Guijarro, and the president of Barcelona, Joan Laporta, received the accolades on behalf of the club.
This marks the third consecutive year that a Barcelona player has claimed the Ballon d’Or in the women’s game. Aitana Bonmatí now follows in the footsteps of her teammate, Alexia Putellas, who clinched the award in 2021 and 2022. Unfortunately, Putellas was sidelined for a significant portion of the previous season due to an ACL injury. However, she made a triumphant return to contribute to Spain’s World Cup victory.
In Alexia Putellas’ absence, Aitana Bonmatí assumed a prominent role for Barcelona, adopting a more attacking position. Her outstanding performances included scoring nine goals and providing 10 assists in 23 appearances as Barcelona secured their fourth consecutive Liga F title. Furthermore, she excelled in the Champions League, where she delivered a remarkable 13 goal contributions (comprising five goals and eight assists) in 11 appearances, guiding Barcelona to their second title in the competition.
Aitana Bonmatí’s exceptional form extended to the World Cup, where she notched three goals and played a pivotal role in creating two more, ultimately leading Spain to their maiden World Cup victory. The final in Sydney witnessed Spain defeating England 1-0, a historic moment in women’s football.
Aitana Bonmatí initially joined Barcelona’s ranks in 2016 and has since accumulated over 200 appearances for the club. Her illustrious career with Barcelona includes four league titles, two Champions League trophies, five Copas de la Reina, and three Spanish Super Cups.
Her international journey began in 2017 when she made her debut for Spain, and she has since earned 57 caps for her country, displaying her prowess by scoring 21 goals.