A Historic Treble for Bonmatí
Spanish midfielder Aitana Bonmatí was awarded her third consecutive Women's Ballon d'Or at a prestigious ceremony held at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris on Monday night. This unprecedented achievement marks Bonmatí as the first female player in history to win the coveted individual prize three times in a row, following her triumphs in 2023 and 2024.
The award, presented by France Football magazine, recognizes the best female footballer over the previous season. Bonmatí's consistent excellence has solidified her status as one of the sport's all-time greats.
Dominant Season Performance
Bonmatí's latest accolade comes on the back of an extraordinary 2024/2025 season with both her club, FC Barcelona, and the Spanish national team. She played a pivotal role in Barcelona securing a domestic treble, winning the Liga F, Copa de la Reina de Futbol, and Supercopa de España Femenina.
Her influence extended to European competition, where she was instrumental in Barcelona reaching the UEFA Women's Champions League final, though they ultimately fell to Arsenal in Lisbon. Individually, Bonmatí recorded an impressive 16 goals and 12 assists across all competitions for Barcelona during the season. Her outstanding contributions also earned her the title of UEFA Women's Champions League Player of the Season.
On the international stage, Bonmatí was a key figure in Spain's journey to the Women's EURO 2025 final, notably scoring an extra-time goal in the semi-final. Her remarkable year also saw her receive the Laureus World Sports Award for Sportswoman of the Year, making her the first footballer to win this prestigious award.
Barcelona's Reign and Recognition
Bonmatí's consecutive wins underscore FC Barcelona's significant dominance in women's football, with players from the club having claimed five of the seven Women's Ballon d'Or awards since its inception in 2018. Her teammate, Alexia Putellas, previously won the award in 2021 and 2022.
For the 2025 award, Bonmatí surpassed strong competition, with Mariona Caldentey and Alessia Russo finishing second and third, respectively. The ceremony also saw Arsenal recognized as the Women's Club of the Year and Ousmane Dembélé receiving the Men's Ballon d'Or.
Bonmatí's acceptance speech reflected her gratitude, stating, 'My third time in a row here, and I still can't believe it. Incredible. Thank you to France Football for this, for the third time, it really could have gone to anyone. If it was possible to share it, I would, because I think it has been a year with an exceptionally high level, above all among my team-mates, who had a great year.'
6 Comments
Habibi
Barcelona's dominance is undeniable. Pure class from Bonmatí.
BuggaBoom
It's hard to argue with Bonmatí's performance and impact for both club and country. Still, the award criteria could perhaps be tweaked to highlight different types of contributions more broadly across the sport.
Eugene Alta
The Ballon d'Or has become a popularity contest for Barca players.
Donatello
Honestly, getting bored of the same winner every time.
ZmeeLove
History made right there. Bonmatí is simply unstoppable.
Raphael
While Bonmatí's achievement is truly remarkable and historic, it also highlights the increasing depth of talent in women's football. There are many other players who had outstanding seasons and deserve recognition too.