SINGAPORE – Most people will be over the moon with what she achieved in 2023, but not Spain midfielder Aitana Bonmati.
The ambitious 26-year-old is still hungry for more glory, even after an incredible season in which she claimed a maiden World Cup with Spain and the Champions League with Barcelona, while picking up the Ballon d’Or Feminin and Fifa’s Best Women’s Player awards.
The Catalan playmaker is eyeing a historic Olympic gold to add to her burgeoning collection, following the world No. 1 Spanish side’s qualification to the quadrennial event by beating France in the recent Women’s Nations League final.
When asked what her goal at the Olympics was, she answered: “Winning, no? The mission is always to win. You may have bad days or you don’t achieve what you want, but the mentality is always to win.”
Not only is an Olympic gold among her goals this season, Bonmati is also hoping to help Barca win the quadruple – the Spanish Liga F, Copa de la Reina, Supercopa de Espana Femenina and the Champions League.
Bonmati was speaking to Asian media in a virtual round-table interview organised by Barcelona on March 6.
Throughout the 30-minute session, the World Cup Golden Ball winner’s motivation, driven by the desire to keep improving, was clearly evident.
She said: “I’m a very ambitious person and I have a strong mentality of wanting more and more and more.
“I always say the day I don’t have this mentality, it won’t make sense for me to keep playing at the professional level. But right now I’m 26, I’m young, and I have a lot to develop and improve. I have the same mentality and hunger.”
Her success on the pitch has also given Bonmati a platform to help grow the women’s game and correct some of the systemic issues that have plagued women’s football in the country for decades.
Although their maiden World Cup title raised the profiles of Bonmati and other top Spanish players, the feat was overshadowed by the controversy surrounding then Spanish football association president Luis Rubiales, whose forced kiss on Jennifer Hermoso’s lips during the prize-giving ceremony sparked furore.
The subsequent departure of Rubiales and the sacking of controversial coach Jorge Vilda, following protests by some 80 leading players, marked the beginning of better things for the game in Spain, but she feels there is a lot more to be done.
She said: “Winning the World Cup has made us idols to a lot of people. Women’s players can now be idols for boys and girls and that in the past didn’t exist… On the other hand, we have a lot to do in Spain, so we have to keep fighting as players to have the treatment we deserve.
“We are fighting globally and we came together to push and fight for equal treatment. People always talk about salary, but there are a lot of things that are important too. Institutions must make good investments in women’s football, we need them to invest in us and give opportunities to grow.”
Spain are certainly making themselves heard on the pitch after emerging as the leading team in the world since their World Cup triumph – they won seven matches and lost once as they clinched the Nations League crown in February.
However, Bonmati is quick to dismiss the notion that they are set to become a dominant force and take over the mantle from four-time world and Olympic champions United States.
While the US have struggled to replicate their form in recent times, including a last-16 exit at the World Cup last August, Bonmati said: “We had a very good year, but the US were doing great for so many years ago. So we have to continue winning and improving.”
