Aitana Bonmatí

Written by: Theodore, reporter in ISFM

In this article, we’ll be talking about the soccer-star, Aitana Bonmati

Introduction

 Aitana Bonmati i Conca is a world class midfielder, known for making accurate passes and creating chances to score as well as her abilities to control the ball and dribble, she is a player who earned many awards; like the most prestigious one; The Ballon d’Or. On the international level, she is a key piece in Spain’s midfield, also serving as a backup for Putellas.

Childhood

 Born on January 18th, 1998 in Garraf, Spain, she was raised in Sant Pere de Ribes with her parents; Rosa Bonmatí Guidonet and Vicent Conca i Ferràs, catalan literature teachers. As for education, she attended the Johan Cruyff Institute where she began playing soccer. She also played on the streets and in parks, making her more competitive and dedicated towards the sport. She had to overcome the challenges of being a girl in a sport that was mostly dominated by boys. Joining the local club’s youth academy; CD Ribes, at age seven, wasn’t the easiest thing in the world due those issues. Six years later, she chose to change academies to Barcelona’s La Massia. She had stayed a fan of the club throughout her childhood, and recalls going to a bar, watching games on the televisions and her idols, Xavi and Iniesta as they created chances and moved the ball fluently. Her parents were supportive, helping her train, which helped her a lot to match La Massia’s expectations and intense demands. It was also an ideal environment, due to the competitiveness and it made one of Spain’s top players  Aitana was finally promoted to the first team at the end of the 2015-16 season as a substitute.  

Club Career

2015-2017

 Aitana made her debut for the team in the Copa de la Reina as a CF (Center Forward) quickly adapting to her new team. Barcelona nearly won the competition as runner-up losing the final against Atletico Madrid but she managed to carry Barcelona B to a Second division title. The following season, many saw her improve quickly, winning the 2017 Copa Catalunya, local tournament and the Copa de la Reina, a tournament which included the top 8 teams of Liga F: Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Levante, Athletic Club, Granadilla, Rayo Vallecano, and Real Sociedad. Barcelona finished the league in second place, after Atletico Madrid, winning 1-0 against Real Sociedad in the quarter finals, cruising by Valencia after the 2-1 victory, and destroying Atletico Madrid in the finals 4-1. It included a brace from Hermoso, and goals from Putellas and her. These were her first major trophies with the club, a well earned achievement. Bonmatí also made her first appearance in the UEFA Women’s Champions League (UWCL), and became a starter in the first 11, making it a decent season for her, scoring a total of 5 goals in 17 appearances considering those are her first few years there. This proved her natural skill of adapting to a new team, and quickly establishing herself as an important player.

2017-2020

The next season was similar to the previous one, but even as she made more appearances, her only goal of the season was in the UWCL, but she did come home with the Copa de la Reina trophy. She made a total of 4 assists, all in the Liga F. Her performance had slightly declined, but the next season was an important season, as her tally of goals skyrocketed to 13 goals and 2 assists in 37 games, and made it to the UWCL finals, a major achievement for any footballer. There they lost 4-1 against Lyon. Although, her performance made many big clubs notice her and desired to sign her during the 2019-20 like Bayern Munich, but she and Barcelona refused those offers. 2020 was also the year where COVID-19 lockdown affected a lot of games. Due to the COVID lockdown, many games were cancelled, which meant Barcelona was given the league title. Aitana had gotten injured but was able to participate in the finals, and won the Copa de la Reina and the UWCL, getting awarded the MVP for both games and the Midfielder of the Season Award. 

2021-24

 Bonmati suffered an injury, and couldn’t play for a month, short looking at most injuries, but she did miss out on the Supercup. The UWCL was a decent campaign for Barcelona, as they finished runner-up, against Lyon. After that defeat, Barcelona played in the Copa de la Reina and won the trophy. The next season was going to be the best one of her career.  Bonmati had the chance to take Putellas’ spot as she was injured and couldn’t play, which left her carrying the team alone. She and Barcelona managed to win the Champions League, Liga F, The Super Cup or basically the treble. She won with Spain the FIFA Women’s World Cup, and individual awards: The Golden Ball of the world cup, The UEFA Women’s Player of the Year, The Ballon D’or Feminin, FIFA’s Women’s Best player of the year, The UEFA Women’s Player of the Year, The Golden Ball for the UWCL, and UWCL Player of the Season, which is the world record for both male and female as most awards in a single season. Her performance was one of a world-class player; her playmaking made scoring goals look simple, and her dribbling and finishing would tear apart defenses and also helped defenders. Because of that sensational performance, Aitana kept her role as a CAM (Central Attacking Midfielder), and later won a consecutive champions league title, remaining as an global icon, and proving that men and women are equal. She also supports her parents’ fight for independence of the catalan state and represents the catalan culture. Her talent is undeniable and she continues to fight for Women’s equal rights outside of the sport.

International Career with the Spanish national team.

U-15, U-19, U20 & The Senior Team

Aitana Bonmatí participated in the younger tournaments on the international stage, but was officially part of the National team in November of 2017 at 20 years old. Before that, she participated in all categories of the national teams. Her performance on the bigger stages didn’t disappoint, though, as she helped her team reach the finals of the Euro U-15 topping their group stage and left Germany trailing in the dush, completely obliterating them 4-0 during the group stages. The semi finals wasn’t as easy, as they were facing England, but still managed to beat them 2-1. In the finals, Germany ended up beating Barcelona on penalties and won the competition. She also participated in the world cup and stayed on the bench most of the time, but her team ultimately lost to Japan in the final 2-0. The next Euro ended up being her first international trophy, ending in a 5-2 victory over Switzerland, which she won again as a part of the U-19. Bonmatí was named captain for the 2018 tournament, which she got suspended for the final and Spain lost the game. Throughout her international senior career, she has won the FIFA Women’s World Cup; the biggest stage in football history in 2023, and the UEFA Women’s Nations League in 2024.

Written by: Theodore, reporter in ISFM