Ballon d'Or 2024: Aitana Bonmati wants Lionel Messi comparisons to end after Barcelona hero wins back-to-back awards
Published 01/11/2024 at 15:24 GMT
Aitana Bonmati is urging people not to put her in the same bracket as Barcelona icon Lionel Messi, after she won the Ballon d'Or Feminin for the second year in a row. The 26-year-old’s exploits with Barcelona helped her claim football’s most prestigious individual award on Monday. Fellow Spaniard and Manchester City midfielder Rodri won the men's award.
Bonmati thanks team-mates for 'incredible year' after winning Laureus award
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Aitana Bonmati has urged people not to make comparisons between her and Barcelona legend Lionel Messi.
The midfielder won the Ballon d'Or Feminin after enjoying another stellar year in 2024, helping Barcelona lift a fifth consecutive Liga F title, along with Women's UEFA Champions League success.
She scored the opening goal in a 2-0 win over Lyon in the final, and was named player of the tournament.
Bonmati also added to her silverware haul at international level, winning the UEFA Nations League with Spain and scoring in the final of that competition - a 2-0 win over France.
Barcelona dominated the voting overall, with Caroline Graham Hansen and Salma Paralluelo taking second and third place, respectively.
This was the sixth edition of the award, which was first won by Ada Hegerberg in 2018 before Megan Rapinoe claimed the accolade a year later.
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Bonmati - 'I'm proud to be part of powerful generation of women changing the world'
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Alexia Putellas took the golden ball home in 2021 and 2022, before Bonmati's double in the last two years.
“I don't want to compare myself to Messi; it's too difficult to achieve what he did and is unique with what he achieved in football history”, she said in an interview with AP.
“We are two different people; I don't want to compare myself to him, and I'm so proud of what I've achieved.”
She equalled club team-mate Putellas' tally, but says that award does not place any additional pressure on her shoulders.
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“I don’t feel more pressured because I have two Ballon d’Or awards, I can assure you that," she added.
"But I always say that one of my strongest points that have carried me to this moment is my mindset. Because you can have quality and work hard, but is always important to have the right mindset.
"Always aiming for more. When they tell you that you’ve played a good game, and yet you want to get better. This is something I always carry with me. I’ve suffered quite a bit because of it. Because I always want more.”
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