Aitana Bonmatí Equals Lionel Messi with 2025 Ballon d’Or Féminin Victory

Aitana Bonmatí has etched her name into football history, becoming the first player ever to win the Ballon d’Or Féminin three times after claiming the 2025 award at Monday night’s ceremony.

The Barcelona and Spain midfielder had previously lifted the prestigious individual honor in 2023 and 2024, thanks to her instrumental role in a period of unprecedented success for both club and country. Her latest win places her in elite company—Lionel Messi is the last player to win three Ballons d’Or in a row, collecting four between 2009 and 2012, while Michel Platini achieved a three-peat from 1983 to 1985.

Though Bonmatí entered as the defending champion, her third triumph came during a season that demanded both adaptability and resilience. Barcelona retained their grip on domestic trophies, yet showed rare vulnerability, losing two league games—the same number they had dropped across the previous five seasons combined.

With fellow midfield maestro Alexia Putellas returning from a long-term ACL injury, Bonmatí had to share center stage after two years as Barcelona’s undisputed orchestrator. Yet even in this evolved setup, both players still hit double figures for goals and assists, helping the club reach a fifth consecutive UEFA Women’s Champions League final.

However, this season’s European campaign ended in disappointment, as a disciplined Arsenal side edged out a 1–0 win in Lisbon, denying Barcelona a third straight title. Bonmatí’s heartbreak was compounded later in the summer when Spain fell to England in the UEFA Euro 2025 final, losing in a penalty shootout. Bonmatí herself had her spot kick saved.

Still, her performance throughout the tournament earned widespread acclaim. Her stunning goal against Germany in the semifinal—an audacious strike from an improbable angle—proved decisive and earned her Player of the Tournament honors from UEFA’s technical panel.

More remarkably, Bonmatí had entered the Euros battling illness. Diagnosed with viral meningitis during tournament preparations, she began the group stage on the bench but reclaimed her starting role by the knockout rounds—another testament to her resilience and competitive fire.

“I’m in shock,” Bonmatí said after the Euro final. “We gave everything. I must apologize for missing my penalty and congratulate England.”

But in Spain—and across much of the footballing world—no apology was necessary. Bonmatí’s courage, consistency, and sheer class have once again been recognized with the sport’s top individual honor. At 27, her legacy is already golden—and still growing.