Alexia Putellas has reportedly made a decision on her future after Paris Saint-Germain expressed their desire to trigger the €1.1m release clause in her Barcelona contract. Not only were they prepared to meet the buyout, but reports suggested they were also lining up a salary package far greater than what she currently earns in Catalunya.

Putellas makes her call

According to Putelas has made it clear to Barca’s hierarchy that her future lies with them, not in Paris. She has no intention of leaving the club where she rose from academy talent to global icon, and she has directly communicated that stance to the decision-makers at Camp Nou. For Putellas, the pull of home is too strong. She feels she is still at the peak of her powers, and with her contract running until June 2026, plus the option of another year, she remains determined to chase more silverware in Blaugrana colours.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportFuelled by unfinished business

Putellas isn’t just staying for comfort. There’s appears to be a fire in her belly after last season’s heartbreak in the Champions League final, where Barcelona fell short of reclaiming Europe’s crown to Arsenal. Sources close to her say she’s desperate to erase that sting and bring the trophy back to Catalunya. Her motivation is not only to keep winning, but to lead.

Barcelona dressing room's feelings

Inside the Barca dressing room, there’s little appetite for even entertaining PSG’s approach. For players and coaches, losing Putellas isn’t just about losing a midfielder; it’s about ripping out the heartbeat of the side. Team-mates see her as the glue holding the squad together. Her influence, both tactically on the pitch and emotionally off it, is considered irreplaceable.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

GettyDilemma for Barcelona's decision-makers

In the boardroom, though, the debate has been more complicated. revealed that some executives quietly acknowledged the €1.1m clause could bring a hefty financial boost at a time when clubs across Europe are under pressure to balance their books. But even those faint murmurs of financial temptation have been drowned out by the overwhelming sentiment that she should not be sold.

Leeds United have also shared the news of an injury blow to a “key” star after getting knocked out of the EFL Cup to Sheffield Wednesday on Tuesday evening.

Leeds knocked out of EFL Cup with embarrassing Sheffield Wednesday defeat

Daniel Farke said he was embarrassed and apologised to Leeds fans after his side crashed out of the EFL Cup on penalties. Against an extremely young Owls side, the Whites fielded a strong side and required Jayden Bogle to cancel out goalkeeper Karl Darlow’s second-half own goal to take the tie to penalties.

However, misses from Joel Piroe, Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Sean Longstaff saw the Whites lose 3-0 in the shootout. Talking after the game, Farke said:

“We have to take all of the criticism and we are self-critical because out of all the chances we should put four or five goals to bed. It’s always a bit annoying and you feel a bit embarrassed as a Premier League side, but we have been involved in so many games on this level, especially in the cup – this is why there are so many surprises and shock results.

“Even the team in the lower league can win such a game. Today was one of those days and congratulations to Sheffield Wednesday.”

When asked for his message to Leeds fans, Farke said: “You can feel for them. We’re sorry anyhow. We feel a bit embarrassed that we don’t go through in such a game. We can just say ‘sorry’ because they made the trip and wanted to celebrate.”

Leeds signings

From

Fee

Noah Okafor

AC Milan

£18m

Anton Stach

Hoffenheim

£17.4m

Jaka Bijol

Udinese

£15m

Lucas Perri

Lyon

£13.9m

Sean Longstaff

Newcastle

£12m

Gabriel Gudmundsson

Lille

£10m

James Justin

Leicester City

£10m

Sebastiaan Bornauw

Wolfsburg

£5m

Lukas Nmecha

Wolfsburg

Free

Dominic Calvert-Lewin

Everton

Free

Farke reveals injury to Leeds star Tanaka

Missing from the defeat at Hillsborough was midfielder Ao Tanaka. The Japan international was replaced in the 5-0 defeat at the Emirates on Saturday and, like Ethan Ampadu, has suffered an MCL injury and will be out for weeks. When asked about Tanaka’s injury, Farke said:

Tanaka starred in the opening day win over Everton and has been a vital player for Leeds since joining from Fortuna Dusseldorf last summer for just £3m.

However, with both Ampadu and Tanaka sidelined for the foreseeable, Farke will have to rely on Longstaff, Anton Stach and Ilia Gruev, or look to bring in another midfielder before the transfer deadline.

Teenage batter takes the attack to CAXI with boundary-laden knock from No.9

ECB Reporters Network23-Jan-20250:33

Rocky Flintoff hits a century for England Lions vs Australia XI

Cricket Australia XI 214 (Hicks 64, Brown 5-21) and 33 for 1 trail England Lions 316 (Flintoff 108, Davies 76, McCann 51, Whitney 4-72) by 69 runsRocky Flintoff struck his first century in an England Lions shirt on the second day of the tour match against a Cricket Australia XI at Allan Border Field in Brisbane.Flintoff, 16, leapt in the air and kissed his bat as he acknowledged the applause of his team-mates after he dominated the home attack, his innings including six sixes, in a 124-ball century.Batting at nine, Flintoff ensured the Lions recovered from 161 for seven before being bowled out for 316. The teen’s second fifty came from just 45 balls and gave the Lions a 102-run first-innings lead before the CAXI reached 33 for one at the close.Skipper Alex Davies hit 76 at the top of the order and Freddie McCann added 51, while Tom Whitney was the best of the home attack with four for 72.Rocky Flintoff keeps a watch on proceedings•ECB via Getty Images

The Lions were in danger of conceding a first-innings deficit after they lost five for 27 when Flintoff strode out to bat.The Lancastrian added 66 with fellow teenager McCann, who struck eight fours in his half-century, before he slapped off-spinner Raf MacMillan to point.Flintoff then took charge, the feature of his innings of 108 the heaved sixes over the leg side that provided more than a striking resemblance to his father’s strokeplay, as the home bowlers had no answer.The comparison with Andrew Flintoff didn’t end there. At 16 years 291 days old, Rocky is youngest player to score a maiden hundred for England A / Lions .. beating 20 yrs 28 days by his father against Kenya at Nairobi in 1998.It was subtlety that took him to his century, however, a dab for two to the offside that immediately prompted him to remove his helmet and begin his celebrations.Sam Cook then reinforced the Lions’ advantage when he nicked off Henry Hunt to wicketkeeper James Rew for one.

أعلن زين الدين زيدان الأسطورة الفرنسية، عن بشرى سارة لجماهيره بعد غيابه الطويل عن كرة القدم، منذ رحيله في عام 2021 عن تدريب ريال مدريد بعد موسم بلا ألقاب.

وارتبط اسم صاحب الـ52 عاماً، بعدد من الوظائف التدريبية الخالية خلال تلك الفترة، وقد ترددت تكهنات أنه رفض تدريب المنتخب الأمريكي أيضًا.

وكان زيدان مؤخرًا قد حضر إلى نيويورك مع شركة أديداس للمساعدة في إطلاق كرة كأس العالم الجديدة، استعدادًا لنهائيات كأس العالم 2026.

وكشف صحفي سكاي سبورت “فابريزيو رومانو”، عن الخطوة التالية القادمة للفائز بالكرة الذهبية، حيث يستعد للعودة إلى ملعب “أورانج فيلودروم” في مسقط رأسه مارسيليا مع يونيفرس فوتبول، فيما وصفه بـ”مشروع عائلي مميز”، وتهتم هذه الشركة بإقامة فعاليات رياضية وخيرية تجمع النجوم والمشاهير.

أقرا أيضاً.. تطورات جديدة بشأن موقف خوان جارسيا من اللحاق بـ الكلاسيكو

ولم يتم توفر كل التفاصيل حتى الآن بشأن خطوة زين الدين زيدان القادمة، لكن موقع ” يونيفرس فوتبول” أشار إلى أنه ستكون هناك مباراة أساطير حيث سيشارك بها زين الدين زيدان.

وقد أعلنت العلامة التجارية عن المزيد من الإعلانات في “نسخة ثالثة” وسيتم تنظيم حدث رياضي يجمع نجوم كرة القدم الكبار، بالإضافة لعدد كبير من المشاهير في ليلة استثنائية.

وتعيد عودة زيدان إلى ملعب فيلودروم تجربة مميزة وذكريات الطفولة بالنسبة له، ورغم أنه لم يلعب مع مارسيليا، لكنه ارتدى قميص بوردو في مسقط رأسه، قبل الانتقال ليوفنتوس وريال مدريد، وقد نشأ الأسطورة الفرنسية مشجعًا لمارسيليا الذي فاز بدوري أبطال أوروبا عام 1993.

Sam Konstas, the 19-year-old making his Test debut, lit up the MCG with an audacious display of strokeplay against Jasprit Bumrah which in the process riled Virat Kohli on a compelling Boxing Day at the MCG. The world’s best fast bowler still had a significant say with three wickets although it was Australia who edged the honours with their top four all passing fifty.By stumps, Steven Smith was the key figure in how much further Australia’s first innings would be able to extend as he eyed his second hundred in three innings after Bumrah had sparked a middle-order wobble. Yet it was the opening passage of the Test that could well go down as defining.Within an hour of his first Test innings Konstas, who became his country’s fourth-youngest men’s player, was the most talked-about figure in the game having brazenly taken 32 off two overs from Bumrah. While he was stopped on 60 off 65 balls, he had already written himself a chapter among the most remarkable debuts and more than repaid the selectors’ desire to provide something different at the top of the order after Nathan McSweeney’s struggles.Related

• Konstas on taking on Bumrah: 'That's the beauty of being young and a bit naive'

• Kohli fined 20% of match fees after heated altercation with Konstas at MCG

• Konstas arrives at the Test arena like a supernova

Bumrah still pocketed key top-order scalps of Usman Khawaja, the prolific Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh although it did little to downplay talk India are over-reliant on him. The latter two came as Australia lost 3 for 9 in the final session with Akash Deep then claiming a much-deserved wicket with the second new ball when he removed Alex Carey to end the fourth significant partnership of the innings.Khawaja, Smith and Marnus Labuschagne all brought up half-centuries at more sedate tempos than Konstas. It was the first time since Rawalpindi in 2022 that Australia’s top four had all reached fifty in the same innings. Khawaja and Labuschagne will have been left wondering what could have been but Smith played a vital role in keeping Australia ahead.Sam Konstas celebrates his fifty•Getty Images

But it was all about how the day started. Konstas’ first over in Test cricket was against Bumrah and consisted of four plays and misses. Off his eighth delivery he worked a brace into the leg side to a loud ovation and two deliveries later signaled his intent with an attempt to reverse scoop Bumrah which brought a combination of cheers and gasps.He missed another an over later and with Mohammed Siraj also troubling Khawaja, Australia were 12 without loss after six overs when Konstas unleashed a passage of play that will never be forgotten. Off Bumrah’s fourth over he scooped to fine leg, reverse scooped for six over deep third and was an inch away from repeating it three balls later.He had dispatched the world’s leading bowler for 14 but wasn’t done there. In Bumrah’s sixth over he took him for 18, this time by peppering the boundary with drives including lofting a slower ball over wide long-on. By this point, he had been shoulder-checked by Kohli between overs with Khawaja trying to act as peacemaker with all eyes on how the match referee would adjudicate the confrontation.Not long after, a quickly run two brought up his fifty from 52 balls and he grabbed the Australian emblem on his shirt while pointing to the name on the back. What were you doing as a 19-year-old on Boxing Day? The mind started to wander towards something even more spectacular, but Ravindra Jadeja trapped Konstas lbw in a manner many a more experienced batter has been removed.The tempo then reverted to something more traditional: the stand of 89 between Konstas and Khawaja took 116 balls, the next of 65 between Khawaja and Labuschagne required 150. The afternoon session started with four consecutive maidens from Bumrah and Akash, the latter again bowling without luck. Both batters had edges fall short of slip and another from Khawaja which bisected the cordon took him to just his second fifty of the year.Jasprit Bumrah removed Travis Head for a duck•Getty Images

India were largely keeping the scoreboard under control but were not overly threatening, only for Khawaja to toe-end a pull against the first ball of Bumrah’s third spell to midwicket which left the bowler a little embarrassed to celebrate.Labuschagne was still not quite at his fluent best, but was looking as good as he had all series with some delicate glides to third off Jadeja and the types of drives to suggest better days lie ahead for Australia’s No. 3. There was a shift in gears after tea with Labuschagne and Smith adding 41 in the first six overs of the final session against the older ball, although there remained enough assistance from the surface to challenge the batters as another luckless spell from Akash showed.However, the door was opened for India by offspinner Washington Sundar, who had been brought into the side in place of Shubman Gill, when Labuschagne picked out mid-off with a skimming drive the ball after a drinks break. Labuschagne threw his head back as Kohli took the catch, knowing the chance of a first Test century since last July had gone begging.Rohit Sharma sensed a moment and immediately brought back Bumrah and against his third delivery Travis Head shouldered arms to one that clipped his off stump. A batter who has caused India nightmares with his attacking strokeplay departed not offering a shot. In Bumrah’s next over Mitchell Marsh, having slotted away one thumping cover drive, edged an expansive pull to continue what has been a lean series after the summer of his life in 2023-24.As the ground rose for the hats-off commemoration of Shane Warne at 3.50pm (to match Warne’s Test cap number), Smith had slotted consecutive boundaries off Jadeja when Australia looked to be taking control but now his presence was vital in ensuring the innings didn’t lose its way. He and Carey added 53 before Akash produced a terrific delivery from round the wicket. Smith remained firm and walked off to warm applause from those who remained of an 87,242 crowd but it was nothing compared to the ovations earlier in the day.

Chelsea have been one of the busiest Premier League sides this summer, and that’s been the case in pretty much every summer window since Todd Boehly/Clearlake Capital’s takeover of the club in 2022.

Better signing than Hato: Chelsea now leading race for £52m PL "nightmare"

The dynamic gem could be something special at Chelsea.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Aug 5, 2025

Only this time, the west Londoners head into next season looking like genuine title contenders.

Chelsea are fresh off the back of a very promising last few months, winning both the UEFA Conference League and the inaugural new edition of the Club World Cup, not to mention qualifying for the 2025/2026 Champions League.

BlueCo have therefore sought to back manager Enzo Maresca with a complete revamp of the squad, with Chelsea being extremely active in terms of both incomings and outgoings.

In the last 72 hours, a host of surplus players in Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Lesley Ugochukwu and Armando Broja have sealed permanent exits from Stamford Bridge – with the trio’s departures poised to yield around £65 million (The Mail).

After being fined for breaching FFP rules by UEFA last month, player sales are absolutely key, as Chelsea must produce a “positive transfer balance” or face not being able to register new signings for their Champions League squad next season (Nizaar Kinsella).

The Blues are intent on spending even more money before deadline day too, adding to their already-impressive collection of new signings in Liam Delap, Jamie Gittens, Joao Pedro and left-back Jorrel Hato.

Chelsea have been in talks for RB Leipzig playmaker Xavi Simons for some time, but a potential deal for the Dutchman apparently won’t impact their long-standing interest in Man United winger Alejandro Garnacho.

Reliable media sources indicate that Chelsea are expected to bid for Garnacho before the window shuts as they pursue another left-winger after Gittens. Now, Sky Sports have shared an update on this.

Chelsea in talks to sign Alejandro Garnacho and Xavi Simons

The broadcast giant reports that Chelsea are in ongoing talks to sign both Garnacho and Simons right now, and Maresca’s side are “pushing” to make the duo their next signings of the summer.

Simons is apparently valued at around £60 million, according to talkSPORT, while The Mirror recently claimed that United have slashed Garnacho’s asking price to around £40 million with the clock ticking to strike a deal.

The latter is on Ruben Amorim’s ‘for sale list’ after his Old Trafford fallout, while Simons has apparently made it clear that he’d like to leave Leipzig this summer, with manager Ole Werner leaving him out of their Saturday squad for a friendly defeat to Atalanta.

This potential £100 million double-signing would be a real statement of intent from Chelsea.

Garnacho and Simons bagged a combined 22 goals and 20 assists in all competitions last term, and depending on their role in the squad, the promising young attackers could be major assets as Maresca looks to compete with Liverpool, Arsenal and Man City at the very top.

Leeds United have never been known to splash the cash on transfer deadline day.

Rather, the Whites are more known for taking a reserved approach to the drama, and that didn’t change this time around, as zero last-minute captures were secured, while Sunderland welcomed in another three new faces to their ever-growing camp in the Premier League.

It could well leave Leeds light on their feet as tense fixtures near the bottom of the division pile up, with just one goal scored from their opening three league matches adding another worry regarding their lack of business in the forward department late on.

However, the West Yorkshire outfit did fork out £18m to land Noah Okafor before the grumbles of deadline day took over, with a hope he can add some much-needed firepower when up to speed.

What Okafor can offer to Leeds

Leeds had been somewhat busy in the market before the letdown of deadline day, with the number of new summer incomings standing at a hefty ten.

A flurry of business saw Daniel Farke try to bolster his side’s weak attacking personnel, having publicly bemoaned the lack of quality in the forward positions in pre-season, with Okafor a statement buy in this regard.

Indeed, the Swiss international has a healthy career haul of 100 goal contributions plying his trade for the likes of RB Salzburg and AC Milan, with scout Jacek Kulig even dubbing the promising 25-year-old as “electric” when lighting up the Austrian Bundesliga.

Capable of operating on the left flank and as a centre-forward option, the expectation will be that he can become Leeds’ next Wilfried Gnonto in time.

With the addition of another face down the left who hasn’t come cheap – with the new Leeds number 19 also pocketing a high £72.5k-per-week salary – this could well finally signal the end of one underperformer at Elland Road…

Jack Harrison must finally be finished at Leeds

Farke and Co. did get rid of some deadwood this summer that was burning a hole in the wage costs, with Patrick Bamford now no longer on Leeds’ books, having earned the same lavish £70k-per-week salary as Okafor for some time.

He was routinely the highest earner in West Yorkshire, despite noticeable dips in form, with that unwanted mantle now being passed onto an equally hit-and-miss Jack Harrison.

Once upon a time at Leeds, Harrison was seen as a shining star in attack, with a bumper 16-goal contributions under his belt during the 2020/21 season in the top-flight, when the Whites were still being steered by the iconic Marcelo Bielsa.

However, in the here and now, he isn’t seen as the same bright spark he once was, having deserted Leeds during their depressing return to the Championship, where he then jumped ship to Everton and consistently failed to deliver.

Games played

65

Goals scored

4

Assists

4

Wage per week

£90k-per-week

Wage cost over a season

£4.6m

From his last 65 games in the challenging division, Harrison has only managed to muster up an underwhelming eight goal contributions, with Leeds now handed back the burden of the high earner, who is without a goal or assist from his two Whites cameos this season.

Staggeringly, despite his sour relationship with the Premier League new boys, he is their highest earner currently – as per Capology – at an eye-watering £90k-per-week.

This is the case even as he has previously been branded “non-existent” by journalist Beren Cross when donning Leeds white, on top of being further labelled as “disappointing” back in 2023 by ex-striker turned pundit Chris Waddle when his Elland Road form started to wobble.

With Okafor in through the door now, it will be intriguing to see how long Farke is willing to persist with his below-par number 20.

For Leeds’ long-term sake, he should be axed sooner rather than later – having also given up possession 25 times to Championship opposition Sheffield Wednesday in the EFL Cup recently – as fresh blood is instead prioritised in their bid to beat the drop.

Leeds launched late bid to sign "standout" star who was desperate to move

Daniel Farke wanted an attacking option.

ByTom Cunningham Sep 2, 2025

MatériaMais Notícias

O lateral-esquerdo Reinaldo viveu um mês especial em junho. Aos 33 anos, ele mostrou que vive grande fase ao contabilizar atuações que renderam importantes pontos somados pelo Grêmio, além de prêmios individuais. Só em junho foram três assistências de Reinaldo – duas delas para o uruguaio Luis Suárez – além de um gol, justamente contra o São Paulo, seu ex-clube.

RelacionadasFutebol InternacionalZidane revela desejo em um dia treinar Kylian Mbappé: ‘Admiro o que ele faz’Futebol Internacional30/06/2023CorinthiansLuxemburgo chama trio do Sub-17 e intensifica treinos de falta com quinteto do CorinthiansCorinthians30/06/2023PalmeirasPalmeiras ‘sobra’ entre os brasileiros na fase de grupos da Libertadores nos últimos seis anosPalmeiras30/06/2023

– Foi um mês mágico mesmo para mim. Fico muito feliz, a gente vem trabalhando todos os dias para conseguir fazer isso e ajudar o clube. E as assistências só saem porque eu tenho companheiros muito bons, facilita para quem dá os passes. Jogar com o Suárez é muito fácil, é um jogador muito diferente -, afirma Reinaldo, eleito pelo Sofascore para a seleção do mês do Brasileirão e também como melhor jogador do país em junho.

Antes de junho, ainda no fim de maio o Grêmio viveu uma reviravolta positiva a partir da vitória sobre o Internacional, por 3 a 1, no clássico. Depois, venceu o Athletico-PR fora de casa em jogo que também teve assistência de Reinaldo, em cobrança de escanteio, e fechou o mês com a vitória no Mineirão, que eliminou o Cruzeiro da Copa do Brasil.

– Aquele jogo contra o Cruzeiro, para mim, foi muito importante para sentir o que era o Grêmio. Jogar aqui tem sido muito bom para mim. Tem sido um período muito bom da minha vida e eu quero que isso continue -, acrescentou.

Os resultados recentes do Grêmio, com a ajuda de Reinaldo, fizeram com que o clube chegasse à vice-liderança do Brasileirão, atrás apenas do Botafogo e à frente de Flamengo, Palmeiras e Fluminense após 12 rodadas. Agora, o clube também se prepara as fases decisivas da Copa do Brasil, torneio que o Tricolor Gaúcho já venceu cinco vezes.

– Eu vim para o Grêmio porque sabia que poderíamos brigar por títulos. Foi assim no Campeonato Gaúcho e agora sei que podemos mais. A Copa do Brasil é um título que eu quero muito, e que tem a cara do Grêmio. Mas antes temos que por todo nosso foco no duelo com o Bahia pelo Brasileiro. Um jogo por vez, assim vamos seguir brigando pelas duas competições- , falou Reinaldo.

O Grêmio viaja a Salvador nesta sexta para dois confrontos seguidos diante do Bahia. Neste sábado (1), às 18h30, o confronto será pela 13ª rodada do Brasileirão. Já na terça (4), novamente na Fonte Nova, o duelo de tricolores será pelas oitavas de final da Copa do Brasil.

It's incredible to think that, four years ago, Aitana Bonmati was the subject of one of the most shocking snubs in Ballon d'Or history. After playing a starring role in Barcelona's first Women's Champions League triumph, the midfielder looked sure to be in the mix for the Golden Ball – and yet, she didn't even make the 20-player shortlist. Did she take it personally? Knowing her focus on team over individual, perhaps not, but she's certainly made herself impossible to ignore in the interim, with Bonmati claiming a third successive Ballon d'Or on Monday.

It's an achievement that puts Bonmati in an exclusive club, alongside only Lionel Messi and Michel Platini, and that is a feat that highlights just how rare it is to be recognised as the most outstanding player in the world so consistently. 

Granted, individual accolades in women's football don't have the same extensive history as those on the men's side, with the Ballon d'Or Feminin only introduced in 2018. However, a look at the honour roll of the FIFA Women's World Player of the Year award, first handed out in 2001, offers a further glimpse into the elite company Bonmati now sits with. 

Only Marta, widely considered the greatest women's player of all-time, and Birgit Prinz, not far behind the Brazilian in that conversation, achieved a three-peat. Despite still only being 27 years old, Bonmati's name now deserves to be mentioned in the same conversation as the all-time greats. 

On its own, Monday's Ballon d'Or triumph cemented her status as the best player in the world right now. As a third Golden Ball in succession, meanwhile, it underlined the fact that Bonmati is already in legendary territory – with so much more of her career still to come.

• Getty Images
  

  Early signs

  When Bonmati first really marked herself out as one of the best players on the planet on a wider scale in that 2020-21 season, she was just 23 years old and by no means playing at the level she is right now – yet her talent shone as Barcelona marched to a first Women's Champions League title. 

  Being named Player of the Match in the final, as the Catalans battered Chelsea 4-1, set the tone for the years to come. So often, Bonmati has scooped up those accolades on the biggest stages.

  For those that followed Barca's mesmerising journey to that triumph, it was a real shock when the Ballon d'Or nominees were revealed. Not only did Bonmati deserve to be battling for the award, team-mate Caroline Graham Hansen did too. 

  Both would've been worthy inclusions on the podium as Alexia Putellas deservedly picked up her first Golden Ball. Fortunately, such snubs are a thing of the past for Bonmati at this point – and that's because Bonmati's brilliance has become obvious to absolutely everyone over the last four years. 

Advertisement

• Getty Images
  

  Rising to the occasion

  At Euro 2022, she was Spain's top performer on a huge stage, earning herself inclusion in the Team of the Tournament despite La Roja's quarter-final exit. Every other member of the XI at least made the semi-finals, except Bonmati.

  That ability to not only withstand the pressure of the toughest challenges but seemingly get better when the moments are so great went up another level in the 2022-23 season, as she helped Barca win their second Champions League title and Spain win a first Women's World Cup. 

  She was the Champions League Player of the Season, the Player of the Match in the World Cup final and the Player of the Tournament for the whole event. All of those honours make her MVP award in the Supercopa de Espana final seem rather small, but that is further evidence of her being a player who rises to the occasion.

  She would go on to be named the Champions League Player of the Season in three successive campaigns, claim another Player of the Match award in a UWCL final and be crowned the Best Player at the 2025 European Championships, amid her three successive Ballons d'Or, back-to-back triumphs at the FIFA Best awards and so much more. 

  Quite simply, this is a player who never goes missing. And Bonmati has worked to make sure that is the case. 

• Getty Images
  

  Becoming a complete player

  Over the last few years, the diminutive midfielder has refined and enhanced her game to become the kind of complete footballer who is always able to influence a match, no matter how it is playing out.

  When she first burst onto the scene, it was her intelligent movement and remarkable technical skill that stood out. With experience, she would start to translate the attacking threat that carried into reliable goal-scoring numbers. 

  After hitting nine in all competitions in the 2019-20 season, the midfielder has passed double figures in all five seasons since. The statistics are not the be all and end all, but she makes sure she is always contributing.

  There was a conscious effort from Bonmati to work on the defensive side, too, so that her impact on her team was not limited to one end of the pitch. 

  "I'm little," she said with a laugh, speaking to GOAL about this during the 2022-23 season, "but I try to help the team also in defensive tasks, in every part of the pitch. Three or four years ago, I decided that if I wanted to be a complete player, I had to do those things also. Not only score and make assists, but also do defensive tasks to help the team."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty Images
  

  The evolution of Bonmati

  After ticking off that particular box, Bonmati then started to become more influential in possession in deeper areas, rather than just in and around the box. Part of the drive behind that element related to what Jonatan Giraldez, the previous head coach at Barcelona, wanted from her in his set-up in the 2021-22 campaign in particular.

  However, even as the demands on her have changed, for club and country, that comfort she has in dropping deep, picking up the ball and dictating games is still so evident. She really can do it all.

  It's that evolution which makes her the best player in the world. No matter what the opposition is doing, no matter what the game state might look like, no matter the situation her team are in, Bonmati is able to morph her game into one which best suits the circumstances, because she is so talented, so intelligent and so well-learned. Because of that, it's essentially impossible for an opponent to shut her down, too. She is always going to leave her mark on a match.

Managing director believes similarities with Test cricket could mean ODI leadership would make sense

Vithushan Ehantharajah06-Mar-2025Ben Stokes could be one of the candidates to replace Jos Buttler as England’s limited-overs captain, with Rob Key stating it would be “stupid” not to consider the Test skipper as an option to rejuvenate a struggling white-ball set-up.The move, one of many Key is considering as men’s managing director following Buttler’s resignation after a dire Champions Trophy campaign, would see Stokes become ODI captain. In that scenario, the T20I job would likely go to current vice-captain Harry Brook.Stokes has not played ODI cricket since the 2023 World Cup, a tournament that required him to U-turn on his decision to retire from 50-over cricket, during his first summer as Test captain in 2022. He had kept his options open for a potential return for the Champions Trophy, before that decision was taken out of his hands after a second hamstring tear in six months sustained during third Test against New Zealand at the end of last year.Stokes is currently stepping up his recovery in Abu Dhabi with an England Lions training group and is expected to be fully fit to start the summer with Durham. Key was also out in the UAE, and sees no reason why the 33-year-old cannot do as he has done with the Test side and re-energise an ODI team who have lost their way.”I think nothing’s off the table really,” Key said. “You look at every single option and you think, right, what is the best thing to do? How is that going to impact on other things?”Ben Stokes is one of the best captains I’ve ever seen. So it would be stupid not to look at him. It’s just the knock-on effect of what that means.”He’s an unbelievably good tactician, which we’ve seen in Test cricket, but he’s a leader of men. He’s someone who gets the best out of people. He’s someone that, when the pressure is really on, he’s able to throw a blanket around the players and actually say, ‘no, no, this is the way forward. Keep going with it’.”They’re the qualities that you need in leadership. Ben’s, as we know, an outstanding player, an outstanding leader. It’s more about, what would that then mean to him? What would that then mean to his workload?”We don’t want to risk other things as well. But there’s always a way in England, I think, where you start looking at, ‘what if it goes wrong?’ You’ve also got to think, ‘what if it goes right?’. They’re the decisions that I have to make.”Related

Ben Stokes open to white-ball comeback as McCullum begins new England era

Ben Stokes ruled out for three months with recurrence of hamstring tear

Decline and fall: England face up to scale of ODI rebuilding job

Jos Buttler quits as England's white-ball captain after Champions Trophy exit

Buttler goes down with the ship as England journey comes full circle

That Stokes has a strong pre-existing relationship with Brendon McCullum, now in charge of England across all-formats, lends extra credence to this plan. McCullum has overseen 10 defeats out of 11 since taking over the white-ball set-up at the start of the year – a stark contrast to his work overturning their red-ball fortunes in cahoots with Stokes. England have won 22 out of their 35 Tests since the pair were brought together by Key at the start of the 2022 season.There is no doubt McCullum would be open to having Stokes on board. He stated last week that he would be open to a different captain for each of the three international formats because of their contrasting strategies. Key, however, sees a synergy between Tests and ODIs that would allow Stokes to succeed with the latter.”When you start looking at it, I believe that Test cricket and 50-over cricket are probably closer than T20s, which is the outlier now. So then that makes different things.”We look at India and the way they play T20 cricket, and they’ve got all these young players coming through, but it’s their Test players that are making the difference in 50-over cricket.”The issue, as Stokes has previously outlined himself, is the schedule. This year sees England face India and Australia in legacy-defining Test series as far as Stokes’ captaincy and the Bazball project are concerned. Should the ODI job be assumed, three-match series against West Indies (May into June), South Africa, Ireland (both in September) and New Zealand (ahead of the Ashes) will be shoe-horned into his itinerary.Brook will have a similar issue, albeit one he already has to contend with as a multi-format batter. Key has no reservations about Brook assuming a leadership role given how he captained against Australia at the end of last summer in Buttler’s absence. And with Stokes on hand to guide him – as well as halve his limited-overs captaincy duties – Key sees no reason why the Yorkshire batter cannot step up another level.”I think Harry Brook would be an outstanding captain actually. I was cautious about Ben Stokes doing it and having too much, and look how that’s gone.”I think he (Stokes) might bring out the best in Harry Brook. Being able to go out there and feel like the extra responsibility sometimes ,for people, is the best thing that can happen for them. Sometimes it’s not. They’re the decisions you have to work out.”