Ballon d’Or Aitana Bonmati – ‘Our generation can be an example not just for the girls, but boys, women, men’ | OneFootball

Barcelona and Spain superstar Aitana Bonmati became the first ever women’s player to secure three Ballons d’Or, and did so in a row, after picking up the award again in Paris on Monday night. It makes it five years in a row that a Barcelona and Spain player has won the award, and five of the seven awards ever handed out.

Bonmati beat out Mariona Caldentey and Alessia Russo to win the award again, despite being pipped by Arsenal in the Champions League, and England at Euro 2025. The 27-year-old admitted that she was a bit taken aback by the award on stage.

“Anything could have happened. It could have been taken by another colleague, and that’s why I didn’t prepare my speech today.”

Bonmati on Barcelona future

She was also asked about the prospect of being a one-club woman, and spending her entire career in Blaugrana.

“For the moment I have three more years on my contract, I’ve been at the club for 14 years, I don’t like to talk about the future, I like to live in the present, Barca is my home and my lifelong club, and I hope I can stay for a long time.”

Impact of Ballon d’Or on women’s game

Bonmati, who considered quitting football just months before her first Ballon d’Or, was keen to highlight the progress that was being made in the women’s game.

“The truth it’s been a great year. And every year we’re making progress. I always say our generation have the chance to be a great example not just for the girls, but boys, the women, the men, in football there is no gender.”

“Being here in Paris, with all the noise it has, with all the impact that it has, it helps women’s football a lot, so that everyone can see that we are moving towards equality. Today, for example, in the gala, we saw that the prizes were given out in the same manner. Not very many years ago, the Ballon d’Or didn’t exist for women.”

Image via France Football

“To be able to put the women’s game on a stage like this, I fought for this equality, and to be able to show this in so many homes… I’m also proud to represent women’s football in this way.”

In terms of what impact winning the award has individually, Bonmati explained that she was grateful for the awards.

“I think the Ballon d’Or is a global stage that changes your life. It helps you to reach more homes, to be recognised. Every time I come here, and I’ve had the fortune of being able to win it three times, it has helped me, and I’m very grateful, and I’m very fortunate to be here.”