Barcelona midfielder Aitana Bonmati has won the FIFA Women’s Player of the Year prize for the second time.
The 26-year-old Spaniard Bonmati picked up the Best Women’s Player award for the second year running, adding to her two Ballon d’Or trophies.
“I’m grateful; I’m proud to receive this award,” Bonmati said via video link from Barcelona’s Olympic stadium.
Last season, Bonmati led Barcelona to a historic continental quadruple of titles and claimed the Nations League with her national team.
She won every trophy available to her in club football in 2023/24—the Spanish league, the Copa de la Reina, the Supercopa de Espana, and a second successive Women’s Champions League.
She scored a goal and put in a player-of-the-match performance as Barcelona beat Lyon 2-0 in the final of the Champions League to claim their third title in four seasons.
In the same vein, Real Madrid player Vinicius Junior won the FIFA Best Men’s Player of the Year title on Tuesday at an event in Doha, Qatar.
The accolade comes two months after Vinicius, 24, finished second in the Ballon d’Or, with Real opting out of the ceremony after they learnt ahead of time that Manchester City midfielder Rodri would win the trophy.
However, the Brazilian was in Qatar with his club ahead of their Intercontinental Cup final against Mexico’s Pachuca on Wednesday, so he was able to accept the medal in person.
“Thank you very much. I don’t know where to start. It was impossible to think of getting here. I grew up in a world of poverty and organised crime. It’s for all the children who grow up in that world. I thank everyone who voted for me,” Vinicius said on stage.
Vinicius takes over as FIFA Best Men’s Player from Lionel Messi, who has won the honour in the previous two years.
