The winner of our Player of the Year award is Aitana Bonmatíi, a midfielder for Barcelona and the Spanish national team, with 73.5 per cent of the votes from our panel of experts.
A museum for all the awards
The world of football is all about results, but it's also about talent. Aitana Bonmati is the perfect example of how the two can be perfectly combined. The Spanish midfielder is one of the most talented players on the planet and reinforced in 2024 what she had already demonstrated in 2023: she is the best in the world.
The number 14 made a major contribution to the four titles won by Barcelona in 2023/24 - Liga F, Super Cup, Queen's Cup and Champions League - and also shone in the Nations League in the colours of the Spanish national team, being voted player of the tournament. She was also instrumental in the historic qualification for the Paris-2024 Olympic Games, where La Roja came 4th.
In addition to the team honours, Bonmati also won the most prestigious individual titles in a single season: Ballon d'Or, The Best and the Laureus Award for Best Female Athlete.
"I'm very proud to receive this award. It's the result of teamwork. It's been a great year, very difficult to repeat. I'd like to thank all the people at the club, my teammates, who make me better, and it's a pleasure to be here again," said the No. 14 on the subject of the award presented by FIFA.
The 26-year-old midfielder stands out for her quality on the ball and the ease with which she plays with both feet, being a key element in the Blaugrana's attacking moves. Her record in 2023/24 is proof of that: 19 goals and 17 assists - she recently reached 100 goals in a Barcelona shirt.
The personification of 'tiki-taka'
Aitana Bonmati Conca was born on January 18th, 1998 in the Catalan town of Sant Pere de Ribes. In 2012, after starting out in football with mixed teams in Catalonia, she joined Barcelona at the age of 14, where she went on to make a name for herself on the world stage.
The midfielder grew up on the values of Catalan football: the famous "tiki-taka", which favours ball possession, short passes and strategic vision. Aitana absorbed all these ideals, which made her a player who stood out from the crowd.
As well as her undeniable qualities on the pitch, Aitana is a strong voice in the fight for gender equality and a source of inspiration for those who dream of following in her footsteps. In essence, the Spanish international is living proof of how the combination of talent and hard work can dictate success, break down barriers and redefine the role of women in football. She is the Queen of football.
European dream
The start of the new season shows that Bonmati is not living in the shadow of her success. Despite having very little to prove, the Barcelona number 14 continues to be driven by her desire to win. And in 2025, there's a very big goal: the European Championship.
The World Cup winner wants to help La Roja make history and win the title so that she can combine her Euro and World Cup medals in the same showcase.