WOMEN'S FOOTBALL
Aitana wins UEFA Women’s Player of the Year and sends support to Jenni Hermoso
The Barcelona midfielder won the UEFA award and sent a message to her Spain teammate, Jenni Hermoso.
Aitana Bonmatí of Barcelona and Spain won the UEFA Women’s Player of the Year 22/23 award in Monaco on Thursday, August 31.
In what was a historic campaign for the central midfielder, Aitana took on the reigns of both Barcelona and Spain and led them to glory, winning the Liga F, Champions League and World Cup in a trophy-filled season.
Aitana came above her compatriot Olga Carmona, the World Cup winning goalscorer, and Sam Kerr, Australia’s greatest player. The Barça midfielder stepped in throughout the club and international season to cover the absence of Alexia Putellas, the two-time Ballon d’Or winner who suffered an ACL tear in 2022 and missed the majority of the previous campaign.
Aitana shares award with ‘marvellous’ teammates
“It’s a pleasure to be here. It is a season that I’ll never forget. I want to share this award with all of my teammates, marvellous and brilliant people. I’m so privileged”, she said.
As well as mentioning her teammates, Aitana took the opportunity on stage to mention Jenni Hermoso, the player who has been embroiled in a media storm after Luis Rubiales, the RFEF president, forcefully kissed the Pachuca forward in the aftermath of the final. Since then, Spanish football has suffered day after day of news story that has damaged the image of the country and has made many people realise the true extent of institutional sexism that exists within society.
‘Spanish football is not in a great moment’
Spain’s World Cup celebrations have been crushed and forgotten in what should be the honeymoon period for the squad and the country; Rubiales has ruined that and manager Jorge Vilda still holds his position as the RFEF scramble to press reset on the entire organisation.
“I am very ambitious and always want more”, she said. “I want to thank Sarina [Weigman, the England coach and winner of Manager of the Year] for her words because Spanish football is not going through a great moment.”
“We have just won a World Cup, but people are talking about other things. As a society”; she continued before specifically mentioning sexual abuse in the workplace, “we cannot allow the abuse of power in a working relationship. From Jenni to all the women who suffer the same thing, we are with you. We hope that society improves.”