Well done, lady! Bonmati wins Women's Ballon d'Or

Spain's World Cup-winning star Aitana Bonmati won the Women's Ballon d'Or at a ceremony in Paris on Monday.

Bonmati succeeds her international teammate Alexia Putellas as winner of the prize after inspiring Spain to glory at the Women's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand earlier this year.

Hailing from Catalonia, Bonmatí became a part of Barcelona at the age of 13, embarking on nearly two-hour-long journeys with her father using public transport to attend training. Demonstrating consistent success in youth and B level competitions, she earned a spot in the senior team at the age of 16 towards the end of the 2015/16 season. Her debut took place in the Copa de la Reina, an end-of-season tournament in June, where she reached the final.

While not a regular player in the 2016/17 season, she did make her debut in the UEFA Women's Champions League and scored in the 4-1 victory in the Copa de la Reina final against Atletico. The subsequent year followed a similar pattern, with another Copa victory. However, in the 2018/19 season, Bonmatí became a fixture in the team and played a crucial role in helping Barcelona reach their first UEFA Women's Champions League final. Despite the 4-1 loss to Lyon in Budapest, her determined attitude left a lasting impression.

Now an integral part of the team and honored as the Catalan women's player of the year, she secured a long-term contract with Barcelona and clinched her first league title in the abbreviated 2019/20 season.