Barcelona and Spain midfielder Aitana Bonmatí has won the Ballon d’Or Féminin after a stunning year with club and country.
Bonmatí helped Barca win the F League and Champions League last season, before leading Spain to World Cup glory in the summer.
She was named Player of the Tournament in Australia and New Zealand and was also recently named UEFA Women’s Player of the Year.
Bonmati won the Ballon d’Or ahead of Australian striker Sam Kerr and Spanish winger Salma Paralluelo.
“I would like to congratulate all the nominees. All of them are great and inspiring footballers. As role models we have a responsibility on and off the field. We must be more than just athletes. Continue to lead by example and continue to fight together for better, a world of peace and equality,” said Bonmatí after receiving the award.
At the Ballon d’Or ceremony in Paris, Barcelona was also awarded the award for the best women’s team of the year.
Bonmatí’s teammate Patri Guijarro and Barca president Joan Laporta accepted the recognition on behalf of the club
This is the third year in a row that a Barça player has won the Ballon d’Or in the women’s category, with Bonmatí succeeding teammate and back-to-back winner Alexia Putellas.
“Spain has something unique. In recent years we have achieved a lot with our club and national team,” Bonmati told reporters.
“It says a lot that we won the Ballon d’Or three times in a row. We are a country that lives football, and we work hard every day to be the best.”
After claiming the award in 2021 and 2022, Putellas missed most of last season with an ACL injury, although he returned to play a role in Spain’s World Cup win.
In Putellas’ absence, Bonmatí, who finished fifth in the 2022 Ballon d’Or, came under scrutiny for his more attacking role at Barcelona, scoring nine goals and providing 10 assists in 23 appearances as Barca won the F League for the fourth season in a row in.
He also starred in the Champions League, ing a competition-high 13 goal contributions (five goals and eight assists) in 11 appearances as Barca won the title for the second time.
At the World Cup, he scored three goals and set up two more as Spain won the competition for the first time, beating England 1–0 in the final in Sydney.
Bonmatí first broke into the Barca team in 2016 and has since made over 200 appearances for the club, winning four league titles, two Champions Leagues, five Copas de le Reina and three Spanish Super Cups.
He made his Spain debut in 2017 and has won 57 caps for his country, scoring 21 goals.
