Aitaina Bonmati has won the ‘Ballon d’Or Feminin’ at the 2025 Ballon d’Or ceremony, becoming the only woman to have won the award 3 times, and only the 3rd player ever to win 3 awards in a row (after Michel Platini and Lionel Messi).
Bonmati led Barcelona to a domestic treble, as well as to the final of the UEFA Champions League, before losing to Arsenal 1-0. She was also named ‘Player of the Tournament’ as she helped Spain reach their first ever European Championship final, despite being hospitalised with viral meningitis in the week before the tournament began. Highlights included a brilliant extra-time winning-goal in the semi-final vs Germany, before eventually losing to England on penalties.
In her acceptance speech, she said, “I never thought when I was a kid that I would achieve that because I didn’t think that women’s football could exist. I always said that I had idols like Iniesta and Xavi because I saw them on TV…We are more than footballers, we are leading by exam[les throughout the world. For the new generations, they can dream about being footballers. They can dream it, that is the best thing we can achieve.”
It was very apt that she received the award from Andrés Iniesta, another generation-defining midfielder, who was part of incredible Barcelona and Spain sides.
Bonmati and teammate Alexia Putellas have now won all of the last 5 Ballon d’Or Feminin trophies between them.
Ballon d’Or Feminin Top 10
- Aitana Bonmati (Spain & Barcelona)
- Mariona Caldentey (Spain & Arsenal)
- Alessia Russo (England & Arsenal)
- Alexia Putellas (Spain & Barcelona)
- Chloe Kelly (England & Arsenal)
- Patricia Guijarro (Spain & Barcelona)
- Leah Williamson (England & Arsenal)
- Ewa Pajor (Poland & Barcelona)
- Lucy Bronze (England & Chelsea)
- Hannah Hampton (England & Chelsea)
