Aitana Bonmatí shines even brighter in gold. The FC Barcelona midfielder has retained the award recognising her as the best player in the world for the third year in a row. Her personal trophy cabinet now holds the Ballons d’Or of 2023, 2024 and 2025. She is the first ever woman to win this prize three times.

05:34
The Ballon d'Or Gala

 

Five in a row for Barça

Once again, the award has been painted blaugrana. For five consecutive years, the best player in the world has come from FC Barcelona, thanks to Alexia Putellas and Aitana: 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025. A feat only Barça could achieve – no other club comes close. The numbers are even more impressive considering that of the seven Women’s Ballons d’Or awarded so far, five have gone to Barça players. Only Ada Hegerberg (2018) and Megan Rapinoe (2019) have broken this blaugrana dominance.

“It’s my third time here, I don’t really know what to say”

When she stepped onto the stage, Bonmatí admitted she would be improvising: “It’s my third time here, I don’t really know what to say. The award could easily have gone to any of you. If I could, I would share it, because you have all been at such a high level.”

Her first words were almost entirely directed at one of her idols, Andrés Iniesta, who had been the one to announce her name: “Receiving it from Iniesta makes it very special. He is one of my idols, together with Xavi. Thank you for your football.”

Aitana thanked France Football for including gender equality year after year in their ceremonies. And, as could not have been otherwise, she also expressed her gratitude to her family and to FC Barcelona: “We don’t achieve all this on our own, it’s thanks to the work of Barça, who have given me everything. I’ve been at the club for 14 years and I hope to continue enjoying this badge for many more years.”

That help from others is patent as we look on down the list, with blaugrana names everywhere. Former Barça player Mariona Caldentey finished second, Alexia Putellas came fourth, Patri Guijarro sixth, Ewa Pajor eighth, Pina eleventh and Graham Hansen thirteenth.

A blaugrana-coloured gala

The evening began with a double award for two young stars of the men’s and women’s teams: Lamine Yamal and Vicky López both picked up the Kopa Trophy, recognising them as the best players in the world under the age of 21. Yamal became the first ever player to win it twice, while Vicky López inaugurated the prize in the women’s category. Historic.

Many more nominations

The ceremony continued with Barça nominations in almost every category. FC Barcelona were in the running for the Team of the Year award in both men’s and women’s football, as well as the Women’s Yashin Trophy for best goalkeeper (Cata Coll) and the Johan Cruyff Trophy for best coach (Hansi Flick). Those trophies slipped away, but not the Gerd Müller Award for top goalscorer, which went to Ewa Pajor.

Lamine Yamal, runner-up

In the men’s category, Lamine Yamal came close to his first Ballon d’Or. First place went to another former Barça player, Ousmane Dembélé, while Raphinha finished fifth.

Strong Barça presence in Paris

A large institutional and sporting delegation travelled to Paris. President Joan Laporta headed a group that also included First Vice-President Rafael Yuste, Vice-President Elena Fort and the director in charge of women’s football, Xavier Puig. On the sporting side, men’s first team coach Hansi Flick was joined by players Raphinha, Lamine Yamal and Pau Cubarsí, while Alexia Putellas, Aitana Bonmatí, Patri Guijarro, Caroline Graham Hansen, Claudia Pina, Ewa Pajor, Cata Coll and Vicky López represented the women’s team.

More news here