When Aitana Bonmatti won the Ballon d’Or last year, the world took notice of a player who was desperate to be recognised for his genius.
Even today, it would be difficult to deny that there are better female soccer players on the planet than her.
In the past 16 months, Bonmati has won the Champions League twice and the Spanish top flight, Liga F, twice with Barcelona. With Spain, she lifted the Women’s World Cup in August last year and won the Women’s Nations League for the first time in February. Her goals and golden touches have made her a strong contender for another Ballon d’Or this year. Those skills have also attracted interest from the game’s biggest clubs.
The midfielder was pushing to renew his contract with Barcelona while rumours of interest from Chelsea and Lyon were growing. — This makes her the highest-paid player in women’s football history.
She spoke in depth this week in Barcelona. work out, Until the summer of 2028, just a few days after the contract was signed.
We met in a small room in the media center of the Barça sports complex on the outskirts of the city. She arrived at lunchtime and explained hastily that she had not yet had a chance to eat after the morning training session and meetings.
Bonmati, now 26, has been going about her daily routine for years without a break. But every day she drives back to her home in Sant Pere de Ribes, a small, quiet town 25 minutes down the coast, where she has lived her entire life.
Behind us was a framed photo of Camp Nou, where she will once again grace the stadium once the rebuild is complete. We talked about the stadium’s rebuild and much more.
We spoke about her concerns that Spain’s domestic women’s league is falling dangerously behind the WSL. We talked about the tough schedule for football’s elite players and her belief that more needs to be done to protect them. We talked about the competitive offers she’s received as she considers her future and the strong connection between Barça and where she grew up.
work out: When and why did you decide to renew your contract with Barça?
Bonmati: It was a process that started earlier than usual. In women’s football, you usually wait until the end of the contract before you start negotiating. It’s been almost a year since my agent and I started talking with the club. That shows the importance of the club.
In every conversation there are difficult moments, or moments when you don’t agree. But both sides were very respectful and everything was handled internally. I wanted that. I didn’t want to tell anyone else, and I’m grateful for that. It’s comforting to renew now at the beginning of the season. I knew what I wanted and the club took a big gamble. I’m very grateful for that.
Bonmatti’s new Barca contract ties her to the summer of 2028 (Neil Colomer)
work out: There were competing offers. Were you tempted by other projects?
Bonmati: There was no temptation to accept, but I listened. When a specific offer is made, you have to listen and think about what is best for you. The priority has always been Barça, and Barça has always come first. I always say I like to listen and see what is there, but there is no place like here.
I don’t know if there is another club in the world that moves as many people as we do. I don’t know if any other club can experience what we experienced at San Mamés (when tens of thousands of Barça fans filled the stands in the Champions League final against Lyon last season). We achieved a great sporting milestone and that captivates people. It’s a beautiful moment.
work out: Which clubs are interested in you?
Bonmati: I want to keep it inside me. I don’t have to look for offers from other clubs. I know that there was interest from several clubs and I appreciate it. With Barça, we reached a calm and proud agreement. In addition to my feelings for Barça, this is why I stayed here.
Bonmaty, who won the Ballon d’Or in October last year (Franck Fife/AFP via Getty Images)
work out: Your agent says Chelsea are willing to pay your €3m (£2.5m; $3.4m) buyout clause. There have also been reports of interest from Lyon. Barcelona have made a significant financial commitment to keep you. How do you keep your feet on the ground when you know you have a choice of where to go?
Bonmati: I cherish everything that happens to me. I am privileged. I have the power to decide where I want to be. This is the result of a lot of hard work. I worked very hard and suffered a lot.
I always have my feet on the ground. I am a very introverted person, with my people and my agent, Christian (Martin). I always get help from people who know me well, but the decisions are always mine. I have the personality to make them, but I try to listen to the people who love me.
Go deeper
How do you stop Bonmati? It doesn’t matter – you can’t stop Spain.
work out: Did your connection with Sant Pere de Ribes (where Bonmati grew up) and Catalonia also have an important influence on your decision?
Bonmati: I am from a small town and I spent 13 years at Barça. It may seem like my comfort zone. All of this is important, but the most important thing is the level of football I want to play for. I am an ambitious person and I want to keep winning.
Barça is a team that competes for everything every year. We have won the Champions League title three times in five finals. It is amazing. I don’t know if any other club can give me what Barça gives me at a sporting level right now.
Bonmati celebrates scoring the opening goal during last season’s Champions League final at San Mames (Alex Caparros – UEFA via Getty Images)
I am honoured to be home, close to my people and fortunate enough to have grown up at a great club that shaped me into the player I am today.
work out: When you started playing organized football at the age of 7, could you have imagined that you would achieve what you have now?
Bonmati: To be honest, no. I found my way. I made my own way. It wasn’t until I was 17 that I imagined I would become a professional player. I was at Barça B and saw that the club was starting to invest in creating a professional first team. I fought hard and my head pushed me to the extreme of working hard and never giving up. But I didn’t do it alone. I’m grateful to the people who made me a better person.
work out: You talk about something that’s extremely hard. Have you learned to enjoy the process?
Bonmati: I’ve made some big changes. I used to suffer a lot and wanted to control everything. I don’t anymore, but I can’t change completely. I’m just the way I am. Last year, I learned to enjoy every moment more. I have peace of mind knowing that I’m growing as a player and as a person. Eventually, you grow too (laughs) and sometimes you learn to enjoy the fleeting moments.
Bonmati made his Barca debut in 2016 (Joan Valls/Urbanandsport/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
work out: As an ambitious player for a club like Barça, how does it feel to be in a league below your level?
Bonmati: If I had started watching Liga F without considering Barça, I would not have stayed here. I say that clearly. It is sad to see other leagues overtaking us at such a rapid pace, when we have the potential to be a top league thanks to the success of Barça and the success of the national team.
If we have these strengths and we don’t have a league that is important enough, then that’s something to look at. We’re stagnant, we’re not getting better. There’s no major sponsor in the league. What kind of interest is there in this league? Who’s running this league? Maybe we need to be more humble. Let’s look at the WSL in England and see how they do it. And the national team. If there’s no change, it’s a sign that the people running this league aren’t interested in moving forward.
work out: What did you hope would change?
Bonmati: If I start, I will never finish. And I am sure I will miss a lot. We have to fight to make the league more competitive. Then the number of teams will decrease. We have to look at the exemplary leagues in Europe and see how many games they play.
We are the league that plays the most games. When players in Spain go to play for the national team, whether in Spain or with other teams, we are at the worst position in the world.
Spain beat England 1-0 to win World Cup in August 2023 (Elsa – FIFA via Getty Images)
Who cares about our performance so we can shine in every game? At the Olympics, we arrived exhausted because we finished the league on June 15 (Spain had two games before the Olympic tournament started on July 25). The US went to the Olympics in the middle of their NWSL season. So we were small as players.
work out: There have been other tough times, such as what happened after the 2023 World Cup (Luis Rubiales kissed Spain striker Jeni Hermoso on the lips during the medal ceremony after beating England in the final, sparking a dramatic demise for his terrible attitude towards the women’s game) and the struggles of Spanish players for better conditions. What do you think was the toughest moment of the whole process?
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Bonmati: There are no quiet moments here. You can’t just play football and call it a day. There’s always work to do, and you see things not working out. I can’t pick one hardest moment because there were a lot of them. There’s a lot of wear and tear, and when you realize there’s still a lot of work to do, it just wears you down even more.
work out: Let’s talk about football. In the last two years you have been seen playing closer to the box. Do you feel more comfortable there?
Bonmati: Of course. I am more dangerous near the box than far away. The fact that I can be closer to the end situation makes me a better player. I can help my teammates, and they can help me get better. Playing there makes me a better player.
The Athletic: You have been nominated for the Ballon d’Or again. What does that mean to you? How do you remember last year’s award ceremony?
Bonmati: It was a special day to share with people close to me. When I was young, I saw Lionel Messi lift the Ballon d’Or almost every year and suddenly I saw myself up there with the crème de la crème of football. I’m proud to be nominated again. It speaks volumes about the great achievements that have been made this year.
work out: How would you describe the skill of ‘Yegada’ (arriving at the penalty area at the right time)?
Bonmati: You either have it or you don’t. It’s an aspect of the game that I’ve played since I was a kid. I grew up with it.
I think I am a very skilled player who moves well in small spaces. In the past few years, I have improved my finishing and (effectiveness) in the last few meters by increasing the speed of play, such as driving the ball or penetrating into space. I try to be a complete player. And my teammates here make me a better player. We all understand the same style of play and that helps a lot. We help each other.
work out: What aspect of gaming do you enjoy the most?
Bonmati: I really enjoy receiving between the lines. I can accelerate the play by driving the ball, and that’s what sets me apart. There, I can find the last pass or the pass before the assist, so it’s easy for another player to make an assist. I like to help find those important spaces.
work out: And at home? How do you relax when the doors are closed and the curtains are drawn?
Bonmati: (Laughs) I don’t have much time. One thing I’ve missed over the last few years is taking a little vacation. It’s important to completely disconnect and recharge your batteries, but players on teams that play in all areas don’t have that.
I want to criticize any organization that I think should take better care of its schedule and players. I try to make the most of the time I have. Sometimes I read more, sometimes I read less. I try to do things that are good for me, like meeting lifelong friends in my town square. These are things that I like, that make me happy, that distract me, that remind me of the Aitana that I have always been.
(Above photo: Getty Images. Visual design: Eamon Dalton)
