Formed and raised by socially committed parents. Praised by football greats such as Xavi and Guardiola. Celebrated as the best football player of the moment. Who is Golden Ball winner Aitana Bonmati Conca?
“Watching Aitana Bonmati play excites me, she makes me get up out of my chair and that’s exactly why people are so passionate about football.”
Barca coach Xavi Hernandez speaks in the foreword to Bonmati’s biography. “She has everything to become the best player in the world.”
Already at the age of 25, Xavi’s prediction comes true and she is the 5th laureate of the Golden Ball among women.
Aitana Bonmati Conca started playing football as a little girl at local clubs south of Barcelona. From the age of 13 she switched to FC Barcelona, the club of her dreams as a born and raised Catalan. She enjoyed the two-hour bus rides with her father.
From then on, Barca knew they had gold in their hands.
Full trophy case
At the age of 18, the creative midfielder made her debut for the first team, 7 years later she has achieved almost everything. With 4 Spanish titles, 5 cup triumphs and 4 super cups, the Spanish league has become too small.
Bonmati excels in ball recoveries and is the queen of tricky balls. Moreover, she combines a lot of creativity with efficiency: last season she scored 18 times in 37 matches.
The Spanish is also triumphing in Europe. Many players dream of a Champions League triumph, Bonmati already won her second cup with the big ears last season, as MVP of the final.
The icing on the cake followed in August: as player of the tournament, she relegated the opposition and led her country to the world title. You can’t do better.
Indeed: she won the trophy for UEFA Player of the Year 10 days later.
Aitana Bonmati in action for the Spanish national team.
Critics van Luis Rubiales
It was during that ceremony that Bonmati showed her support for the whole world to teammate Jenni Hermoso, who received an unsolicited kiss from then federation president Luis Rubiales after the World Cup final.
“To all women who have the same thing happen to Jenni, we stand behind you,” said a fiery Bonmati, conscious of her social role. “As a society, we can no longer allow abuse of power in a work environment.”
It was written in the stars that Bonmati made himself heard.
After all, her parents wrote history: thanks to them, the Spaniards have the choice to place the mother’s surname before that of the father when a child is born. Her mother’s surname (Bonmati) comes before her father’s (Conca).
“Thanks to them I am a fighter,” Bonmati says of her parents’ act.
As one of the team’s leaders, Bonmati also took her responsibility during the boycott that ultimately forced the Spanish Football Association to make profound changes.
“We have a responsibility to leave football and women in a better state than we found it in,” the Spaniard suggested.
A great lady, both on and off the field.
2023-10-30 21:05:41
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