Women's Soccer Player of the Year Contender Bonmati

Age: 27 Position: Midfielder Clubs: Barcelona & Spain

This has proven to be an exceptional year for Aitana Bonmati. She became the pioneering athlete to win three women's Ballons d'Or, secured a domestic treble and reached the Euro 2025 final.

Her pedigree is clear, with an extensive trophy haul throughout her career as well. She has won seven league titles, three European crowns, nine Copas de la Reina and five Spanish Super Cups.

Although Barcelona were beaten by Arsenal in the Champions League final, and her extraordinary return from a bout of viral meningitis just prior to the start of the Euros was not enough to lead Spain to the trophy, it was an notable campaign.

The creative playmaker scored the goal that defeated Germany in the Euros semi-final as Spain achieved a milestone by advancing to the final for the first time.

She was also selected as the Champions League's player of the season, recording nine goal contributions in her 11 appearances and scoring in their 4-1 semi-final second-leg win at Chelsea.

Tino Herrero: "I believe that Aitana does not have a ceiling at the moment. She is a very competitive girl, and the truth is that she is very youthful with everything she has achieved. I believe that the ceiling will be set by her if she persists to be like this, so competitive, taking care of herself.

"There are times when you see her running at 11pm at night, so that not too many people can see her. She is running around here in the village. If she keeps going like that, I think there's no limit to it. I feel that she could evolve into like Lionel Messi with eight Ballons d'Or. She will be able to attain his level."

Bonmati regarding what it means to play for Barcelona: "It's both a point of honor and a duty. We're not only judged by our results but also by how we play. Most teams would be satisfied just winning, but we're required - and we expect ourselves - to win and play well. That's a big obligation."

A top club men's manager: "Aitana Bonmati is a football player who has me completely in love with her for the way she plays. I would say she is like the women's Iniesta."

The owner of a bar dedicated to Bonmati in her home town: "Mostly for being as humble as she is. Her playing technique. And she knows how to work as a unit and as a team. Often some of these top-tier players are more individualistic and they always want to be them, them and them. No, she shares the awards and has proven that in all the galas she went to, acknowledging her team as the engine to herself. And, it is because of her personality, her game and her power and her quick reaction mindset."

While Bonmati generated the most chances in Liga F last season, 10 players delivered more assists than her six, including her Barcelona teammates who provided a league-high 11 and 10 assists respectively.

But where Bonmati stood out more than any other player was in the phase before a goal was scored and an assist awarded by constantly providing the pass to the player who assisted the goal, silently starting so many of Barcelona's successful attacks last season.

There isn't much that hasn't been said about Bonmati. She describes her biggest strengths as comprehending the game and finding spaces with and without the ball, in order to identify solutions in every match.

Strategically, this self-assessment holds up perfectly. It is remarkable how much ground Bonmati covers when contrasted to others. This effort level combined with her spatial awareness, game IQ and skill level ensure she continually solves problems in games.

In possession, she moves to find space in a way that benefits the team, similar to other players but from a more advanced starting position that often affords players less time and space.

For club and country, Bonmati smartly ran into unorthodox positions, sometimes even leaving her position to move to the opposite side to create an overload. This contradicts what a structured side would normally do but her movement frequently created 3v2 or 2v1 situations.

With a player surplus, her passing and other-worldly small space dribbling becomes nearly impossible to stop.

Her guidance distinguishes her from her contemporaries too.

Her relentless running, particularly in her defensive pressure, indirectly raises the level of intensity in her teams and has the strategic advantage of forcing teams back, preventing them from getting settled attacking possession.

Bonmati shrewdly recognises the space she can exploit and with her stamina arrives to establish a 2v1 situation for Spain in the wide areas.