Aitana Bonmatí has done it again. The Barcelona and Spain star has been named The Best FIFA Women’s Player for the second year in a row, a rare repeat that shows her class and her consistency. This is the award that crowns the year’s standout player. Bonmatí didn’t just meet that bar in 2023—she carried it into 2024 and raised it.

Why Bonmatí’s repeat as The Best FIFA Women’s Player matters

Back-to-back awards are never an accident. They happen when a player stays sharp, delivers in the biggest moments, and lifts their team. Bonmatí has been that player for club and country. She is the heartbeat of Barcelona’s midfield and the brain of Spain’s attack. The repeat confirms what many felt last year: she is setting the standard for the modern midfielder.

It also shows leadership. When Alexia Putellas—a two-time world player of the year—suffered an ACL injury ahead of 2022-23, Bonmatí stepped into the attacking midfield role and owned it. From there, she led, created, and won. Across that season, she and her teams won every tournament they entered, and she was named player of the tournament in each. It is the simple story of a great player meeting a big responsibility and turning it into trophies.

“She didn’t just fill the Alexia gap—she redrew the position.”

World Cup 2023: Golden Ball form on the biggest stage

For Spain, the 2023 Women’s World Cup was a landmark. For Bonmatí, it was a statement. She was named the tournament’s best player, winning the Golden Ball, as Spain won the final 1-0 against England. Her control of tempo and space was the steady hand Spain leaned on when it mattered most.

Along the way, she produced the kind of numbers that stick. In the 5-1 knockout win over Switzerland, Bonmatí scored two and set up two. That is dominance in a game that decides whether your World Cup continues. She also scored in Spain’s 3-0 opener against Costa Rica, setting the tone for a run that ended with the trophy.

These are the performances that define award seasons. They show skill and calm. They also show nerve. When pressure turns heavy, Bonmatí doesn’t bend.

“Is there a ceiling for Aitana, or are we watching the standard?”

Barcelona 2022-23: the midfield maestro and a Champions League MVP

At Barcelona, both the numbers and the eye test agree. In the 2022-23 season, Bonmatí scored six and assisted six in the UEFA Women’s Champions League. She was named MVP of the final and of the tournament. That is a player who doesn’t just show up on big nights—she directs them.

Her style is easy to see and hard to stop: she looks before the ball arrives, moves into space, finds the killer pass, and finishes when needed. With Putellas out, Bonmatí became the engine and the spark. The team won, and she kept winning individual awards because her impact was everywhere—before the pass, on the pass, and after the pass.

Spanish outlet Sport gave her a perfect 10 for the season. Nike summed up the feeling around her year with a bold line: “The best season. Of any footballer. Ever.” It is marketing, yes, but it also matches how complete her year felt to many fans.

“Two years, two Best awards. Dynasty unlocked.”

A sweep of the sport’s biggest prizes

The Best FIFA Women’s Player in 2023 and 2024 is the headline, but it sits inside a bigger story. Bonmatí also collected the Ballon d’Or Féminin in 2023, 2024, and 2025, becoming the first to win it three times. Add the UEFA Women’s Player of the Year in 2023, and you see the pattern: different stages, same result.

This wasn’t just hype. It was built on finals, MVP awards, and games where she took control. Whether it was for Spain or Barcelona, Bonmatí found a way to be the difference when the moment demanded it.

The why and the what next for Spain and Barça

Why has Bonmatí climbed this high? Because she solves problems on the pitch. If you press her team high, she slips behind. If you sit deep, she picks the pass. If you give her space, she shoots. These skills work in any game—league, Champions League, or World Cup.

For Spain, her presence in midfield offers calm and clear ideas. For Barcelona, it means the team’s style stays strong even as squads change. Younger players can see a model that blends flair with hard work. That is priceless for a club and a national team that expect to win every year.

What comes next? If the past two years are a guide, more silverware and more leadership. The challenge after a repeat is staying hungry. Bonmatí has already shown that she treats each season as a fresh climb, not a victory lap. That mindset keeps doors open—for her and for her teams.

Final word: a simple recipe, done brilliantly

The story here is not complicated. Bonmatí stepped up when a legend went down. She helped win the World Cup. She drove Barcelona through Europe. She collected the sport’s biggest awards—twice in a row from FIFA, and three times from the Ballon d’Or.

That is why this second straight The Best award matters. It confirms that what we saw last year was not a flash. It’s a new normal. The bar is high, the spotlight is bright, and Aitana Bonmatí keeps playing like both belong to her.