Favorite of the next Ballon d’Or since she led FC Barcelona to the roof of Europe, the midfielder is one of three Spaniards back in selection out of the fifteen who had slammed the door last September.
From fifteen, they are only twelve. Among the internationals who had sent a collective email to the Spanish Federation ten months ago asking to no longer wear the jersey of the selection as long as conditions conducive to sports performance were not metAitana Bonmati is one of three to reconsider their decision before the World Cup.
The midfielder and her teammates Ona Batle and Mariona Caldentey are very present in the Iberian group, which challenges Costa Rica on Friday July 21 to open the Group C adventure in Wellington. But, unlike the other two Aitana Bonmati has a good chance of appearing high on the podium for the next Ballon d’Or. An additional source of motivation to encourage her to participate in this World Cup where she hopes to stand out.
Member of “Las 15”
Ambitions that seemed very distant last fall. Despite a golden generation, his Spain had once again come out of a Euro prematurely in the quarter-finals. What give ideas of revolt to a group nourishing a strong animosity towards its coach, Jorge Vilda, in office since 2015.
An email to the federation sent later and here is Aitana Bonmati on the sidelines of the team like all of “Las 15” (“the 15” in French). “On the sporting level, Aitana and the others blamed Vilda for his lack of qualification, because he only knew the Spanish U17s and U19s”details Laia Cervello Herrero, journalist specializing in FC Barcelona for The Athletic.
“The players are frustrated because they can’t find the same equipment and staff as competent as at the club. In addition, they can’t stand Vilda infantilizing them…”
Laia Cervello Herrero, Spanish journalistat franceinfo: sport
If the climate within the selection has not particularly evolved, Aitana Bonmati nevertheless appeared on the Spanish list in June, after a full year at Barça where she won her second Champions League. “It’s his best season (16 goals and 19 assists). By playing closer to the surface, she weighed much more in C1. We know that the jury of the Ballon d’Or likes the players present in key moments. With her magic, that’s what Aitana did”continues the journalist.
Rival of Alexia Putellas
Favorite to win the supreme individual award, the Barcelonan took advantage of the prolonged absence of the other renowned Catalan, the double Golden Ball Alexia Putellas, victim of a cruciate ligament rupture in July 2022.
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“They have a lot of similarities: they are talented, play in the same position and are both trained at La Masia. Without her rival, Bonmati has positioned herself in the race for the Ballon d’Or”abounds Laia Cervello Herrero.
“In Spain, we have the feeling that Aitana has found the selection only because Putellas is there.”
Laia Cervello Herrero, Spanish journalistat franceinfo: sport
Not in ‘Las 15’ due to her recovery, Alexia Putellas would have had a bigger window to catch up on Aitana Bonmati, had the latter not appeared in Oceania this summer, and bid for a third Ballon d’Or. From now on, the ghost knows that she has the cards in hand. There is no doubt that Bonmati will try to help La Roja finally pass the course of a knockout encounter in a major competition. What to stand out to finally hope to adorn yourself with gold.