AITANA BONMATI, A WORLD CUP HERO FOR SPAIN, HAS WON THE WOMEN’S BALLON D’OR.

Aitana Bonmati, Spain’s World Cup winner, was awarded the Women’s Ballon d’Or on Monday in Paris.

Bonmati succeeds her teammate Alexia Putellas as the recipient of the prize after leading Spain to victory in the Women’s World Cup earlier this year in Australia and New Zealand.

The 25-year-old midfielder was awarded the World Cup’s best player after the Spanish squad triumphed despite off-field turmoil, including demonstrations against their national federation and coach Jorge Vilda.

Bonmati also had a key role in Barcelona’s Champions League victory last season and was just crowned UEFA Women’s Player of the Year.

She was one of four members of the victorious Spain team to be named among the 30 nominees for the award, along with Alba Redondo, Salma Paralluelo, and full-back Olga Carmona, who scored the winner in the final.

Chelsea and Australia forward Sam Kerr finished second in the final voting, with Paralluelo, Bonmati’s Barcelona colleague, coming in third.

Putellas, who plays alongside Bonmati at Barcelona, was not nominated despite missing nearly all of last season due to a major knee injury.

Putellas had previously won the Ballon d’Or in each of the previous two seasons. Ada Hegerberg of Norway received the inaugural prize in 2018, while Megan Rapinoe of the United States took over a year later.

Due to the epidemic, there was no winner in 2020.