Aitana Bonmati Claims 2023 Women’s Ballon d’Or
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Aitana Bonmati, the World Cup champion from Spain, was honored with the Women’s Ballon d’Or at a prestigious event held in Paris on Monday.
Following in the footsteps of her national teammate Alexia Putellas, Bonmati clinched this prestigious award, showcasing her exceptional performance in leading Spain to a triumphant victory at the Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand earlier this year.
The 25-year-old midfield sensation was recognized as the standout player of the World Cup, as the Spanish team defied adversity, including protests against their national federation and coach Jorge Vilda, to claim the coveted trophy.
In addition to her World Cup triumph, Bonmati played a crucial role in Barcelona’s success in the Champions League last season and was recently bestowed with the title of UEFA Women’s Player of the Year.
Among the 30 nominees for the award, Bonmati was one of four remarkable members of the victorious Spanish team. Alba Redondo, Salma Paralluelo, and Olga Carmona, the full-back who scored the crucial winning goal in the final, were all deservedly shortlisted.
Sam Kerr, the talented forward from Chelsea and Australia, secured the second position in the final voting, while Bonmati’s Barcelona teammate, Salma Paralluelo, claimed the third spot.
Notably, Alexia Putellas, who shares the pitch with Bonmati at Barcelona, wasn’t nominated due to a serious knee injury that kept her sidelined for most of the previous season. Putellas had previously clinched the Ballon d’Or in the two previous editions, with Norway’s Ada Hegerberg winning the inaugural award in 2018 and USA’s Megan Rapinoe succeeding her in 2019.
