Aitana Bonmati, the reigning Ballon d’Or and FIFA Player of the Year, is a force to be reckoned with in the world of women’s football. Her exceptional skills and unwavering ambition have earned her comparisons to legendary players like Xavi and Andres Iniesta.
Bonmati’s 2023 has been a year of triumph, with individual accolades and team victories. She attributes her success to the winning mentality and improved physicality of the Spanish national team. However, her hunger for more is insatiable.
“I want to be a better Aitana every year,” she declares. Her sights are set on Olympic gold in 2024 and a record-breaking four titles for Barcelona in 2023-24.
Barcelona’s women’s team has been on a roll, winning the Liga F, Champions League, and Supercopa de Espana in 2022-23. They currently lead the Liga F standings and are in the quarter-finals of the Champions League.
While Bonmati acknowledges the team’s success, she emphasizes the importance of creating space for teammates. “Football is more than moving on your own,” she says. “It is also about creating space for your teammates.”
Beyond trophies, Bonmati aspires to leave a lasting legacy. She wants to be remembered for her impact on teammates and coaches. “One of the most important things I would like to have when I retire is what other players and coaches say about me,” she reveals.
Bonmati’s newfound status as a global icon gives her a platform to advocate for women’s football. She believes that institutions need to invest more in the sport to provide opportunities for growth.
“There is a lot to do and salary is just one of the things,” she says. “I would like institutions to make a good investment in women’s football so that it gives us an opportunity to grow.”
Bonmati hopes that one day, boys and girls will have women footballers as idols. “That didn’t exist” in her time, she says. “I grew up idolising Xavi, Andres Iniesta, and Lionel Messi for the way they took care of the ball.”
