FC Barcelona midfielder Aitana Bonmatí has this Thursday received the award for UEFA Best Women's Player of the Year, for the last season, after winning the world title with Spain in Australia, in addition to her team's treble with the Champions League, the Spanish Liga F and the Spanish Women's Super Cup. In her acceptance speech, the footballer player clearly referred to the Rubiales case, although without naming it, and sent a message of support to her teammate, Jennifer Hermoso. "As a society we must not allow the abuse of power and disrespect in the workplace, from my teammate Jenni to all the women who suffer the same thing, we are with you," said the player.
"It is not a great time right now in Spanish football, we've just won the World Cup but people aren't talking much about that because things have happened that I would not like to just let happen," commented Bonmatí, a reference to the controversy over the non-consensual kiss by the president of the Spanish football federation, Luis Rubiales, to Jennifer Hermoso. After reaffirming her support for her teammate, Bonmatí concluded her brief speech with the wish that "we carry on working" so that "this society improves".
Bonmatí, on playing for Barça: "I'm privileged"
In her speech, Bonmatí also spoke about her recent achievements at the Barça club and in the Spanish national team. "It's a season I'll never forget and I want to share it with all my teammates because without them I wouldn't be here," she said. In particular, she showed her gratitude for being able to play for Barça, a fact she considers makes her "privileged". "I am lucky to play in a spectacular club that allows me to play with the best in the world, wonderful people who make me better every day," she said. On a personal level, she defined herself as "a very ambitious and very non-conformist person and player" who always wants more. "It's something that really defines me and has brought me this far."
The Catalan footballer takes the award that her clubmate Alexia Putellas won for the last two years. Bonmatí won the award over the other two finalists, her Spanish teammate Olga Carmona (Real Madrid) and the Australian Sam Kerr (Chelsea).
Bonmatí, who received the award at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco from Aleksander Ceferin, scored 5 goals and made 8 assists in the last Champions League and played a decisive role in Barça's comeback in the final, in which the team defeated Germany's Wolfsburg (3-2) in Eindhoven, despite going into the break with a two-goal deficit.