Latest news with #AitanaBonmati
Yahoo
17 minutes ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
From hospital bed to Euro hero -- Bonmati back to her decisive best for Spain
"You could write a book about this," said Aitana Bonmati on Wednesday as she reflected on the last few weeks in her life after scoring the goal which took Spain into the final of the Women's Euro 2025. At the end of June the world's leading women's footballer was lying in hospital with viral meningitis and it looked like she might not be able to play for Spain at the tournament in Switzerland. Now she is preparing to lead her team into Sunday's final against England in Basel, in a rematch of the 2023 World Cup decider which Spain won, after converting the only goal of the last-four clash with Germany late in extra time. "When the ball went in I started running around like a crazy person. I didn't know where to go," a smiling Bonmati said as she spoke to media at the Letzigrund Stadium in Zurich after collecting the trophy for player of the match. "It is so special to score in games like these and if I can help the team to keep making history that is very special indeed." Barcelona midfielder Bonmati, who has won the Ballon d'Or in each of the last two years, was taken into hospital at the end of June after reporting feeling unwell. Tests confirmed that she was suffering from a bout of viral meningitis and Bonmati could only watch from bed as her teammates beat Japan in a friendly. Viral meningitis is less serious than the rarer bacterial variant, which can lead to death within 24 hours, but it still seemed like a long shot for her to recover in time for the Euros. - Growing rivalry - Yet she did recover, and appeared as a late substitute in Spain's opening game at the tournament, a 5-0 win over Portugal in Bern on July 3. The 27-year-old was back in the starting line-up for their final group match, a 3-1 victory over Italy, and retained her place for the quarter-final against the host nation before scoring the winner against Germany. "I don't believe in destiny, just in hard work and in my own mentality. I can only thank everyone who has supported me because it has not been easy," Bonmati admitted. "She didn't have an easy start to the Euros but she has managed to overcome her health problems and has worked hard to get fit again," remarked coach Montse Tome. Spain are now into their first ever senior women's European Championship final, two years after winning the World Cup for the first time. Bonmati was one of the stars of that superb team which defeated England in Sydney, and is now dreaming of another title. La Roja are the favourites, even if England are the defending continental champions, for the latest instalment in a growing rivalry between the nations. As well as the 2023 Women's World Cup final, Spain beat England in the final of the men's Euros last year in Berlin. In late May an Arsenal side featuring several members of Sarina Wiegman's current England squad defeated Barcelona in the final of the Women's Champions League. Seven of the players who started for Barcelona that day in Lisbon also started against Germany on Wednesday, among them goalkeeper Cata Coll who made several vital saves before Bonmati got the winner. "Cata played really well, with some big saves when we were suffering," Bonmati said of Coll, who missed all of Spain's three group games due to tonsilitis. "Neither of us had the start we wanted at this Euros due to illness but we are lucky to be here today. "It shows what can happen in life. In the end we have had good news." as-pm/mw
The Independent
an hour ago
- Sport
- The Independent
Stressful way England reached Euros final unlocked perfect weapon
Keira Walsh is convinced the 'stressful' manner by which England reached the Euro 2025 final has unlocked the perfect weapon to seek revenge against World Cup holders Spain. England players have described this campaign as a roller-coaster, beginning with a hope-dipping loss to France that left their title defence hanging by a thread, then the high of dominant wins over the Netherlands and Wales before they fought their way through topsy-turvy, back-to-back spectacular comebacks in the knockout rounds. Now 90 minutes away from lifting their second major trophy, the Lionesses are set for their toughest test yet as they face the same side that beat them 1-0 in the Sydney World Cup final two summers ago. 'I think the way we did it brings the team closer together,' said Walsh. 'We just don't know when to give up. 'I've probably not (known anything like this). 'I think obviously we come in every tournament and we want to reach the final and maybe the way we've done it is a little more stressful for everyone. 'But I think that's kind of the beauty of this team, is that we are relentless and we've got belief in ourselves that even in the 90th minute, we can get a goal and we can win. 'I think that's what's really special about us at the minute.' Walsh, who spent three years at Barcelona, is very familiar with the Spanish threats, particularly Aitana Bonmati, the Barca midfielder and back-to-back Ballon d'Or winner who scored the extra-time winner in Spain's semi-final win over Germany. Spain's World Cup win was overshadowed by controversy, eventually leading to former Spanish football federation president Luis Rubiales being found guilty of sexually assaulting Spanish footballer Jenni Hermoso after kissing her on the lips without her consent during the medal ceremony. Some Spain players have also expressed disappointment that their triumph in Australia did not yield the same women's football paradigm shift in their country as England's victory at their home Euros. 'I think they probably could have had more (respect),' added Walsh. 'I think, the way our league jumped after we won the Euros and everything in and around it, if you compare it to Spain, it probably wasn't the same and they won the World Cup. 'They probably could have had more support. 'After the game there was a lot of controversy and I don't think, for them, there was enough spotlight on how incredible they played and how incredible some of their players were. It was all about the other stuff that had gone on. 'As a professional, that was disappointing to see. I have a lot of friends in that team and I think they probably deserved a little bit more than what they got.' The Lionesses' bench has been instrumental in Switzerland, where Arsenal duo Chloe Kelly and 19-year-old Michelle Agyemang – who has scored three goals in her first four England caps, including equalisers in the last two matches – have enthusiastically inherited the 'super sub' baton. Asked where the Lionesses' never-say-die attitude comes from, Walsh explained: 'Honestly, I think it's part of being English. 'I think that's what we feel when we put the shirt on. It's that we give everything, we run ourselves into the ground and that's the beauty of this squad. 'We know that if we have to come off because we're tired, there's going to be someone else who can finish the job. 'It's what we speak about as a team. It's that English resilience and it's something that we really pride ourselves on. 'You can see that in the last two games, that's something we really believe.'
SowetanLIVE
an hour ago
- Sport
- SowetanLIVE
‘We deserve it': Bonmati strikes as Spain down Germany to reach Euro final
Spain's Aitana Bonmati struck a superb extra-time winner to fire her side to a 1-0 victory over Germany on Wednesday and send them through to the Women's European Championship final for the first time. The win set up a decider against holders England in Basel on Sunday in a repeat of the 2023 World Cup final that saw the Spaniards crowned world champions for the first time. Bonmati finally broke the deadlock in the 113th minute, picking up a ball in the left channel and spotting a gap left by Germany keeper Ann-Katrin Berger at the near post before whipping a shot from a tight angle into the net. Spain captain Irene Paredes struck the foot of a post with a first-half header as her side dominated possession, with the Germans building a solid block and inviting the Spaniards to attack while they attempted to strike on the counter.
The Independent
an hour ago
- Sport
- The Independent
England's Keira Walsh wants Spain's players to ‘enjoy' Euro 2025 final after World Cup controversy
England midfielder Keira Walsh said it was 'disappointing' that Spain's players did not get more respect after winning the World Cup in 2023 and wants them to enjoy the moment when they face the Lionesses in the Euro 2025 final on Sunday. Spain's victory over England was overshadowed by Luis Rubiales kissing Jenni Hermoso during their trophy celebrations without her consent, while star player Aitana Bonmati said their triumph was 'for nothing' as it changed little in the country. By contrast, England's Euro 2022 win had a transformative effect on women's football and Walsh, who spent two-and-a-half years at Barcelona and has close ties with many in the Spain squad, said the Spanish players deserved more respect. 'The way our league [the WSL] jumped after we won the Euros and everything in and around it, if you compare it to Spain it probably wasn't the same and they won the World Cup,' Walsh said. 'They probably could have had more support. 'After the game there was a lot of controversy and I don't think, for them, there was enough spotlight on how incredible they played and how incredible some of their players were, it was all about the other stuff that had gone on. 'As a professional, that was disappointing to see. I have a lot of friends in that team and I think they probably deserved a little bit more than what they got.' Walsh won two Champions League titles with Barcelona and saw first-hand how determined their star players, including two-time Ballon d'Or winners Aitana Bonmati and Alexia Putellas, have been to drive women's football forward in Spain. Bonmati scored a sensational late winner in extra time as Spain defeated Germany 1-0 to reach their first European final. Spain. If Spain beat England on Sunday, they will hold the World Cup, Euros and Nations League titles at the same time. 'The way Barcelona are, and that they are always in the Champions League finals, especially that club in particular, they are really pushing women's football,' Walsh said. 'For the girls this time, as a friend and a fellow footballer, for them to just go and enjoy this final – they play incredible football and they deserve to be there. As a human being I just want them to go out and just enjoy the game of football.' Walsh said England could not afford to only focus on stopping Bonmati and praised the other threats in their team, including Putellas, key midfielder Patri Guijarro and Arsenal forward Mariona Caldentey. 'Obviously [Bonmati] is an incredible player, but I think if you try and nullify her, Patri's been one of the best players at this tournament. So you can focus on Aitana and then you've got Patri, and then you've got Alexia and Mariona. 'I think for us we're not focusing on one player. We know what we can bring defensively and so we're just focusing on what we can do and then obviously we're going to have some chances as well that we need to take.'
Reuters
2 hours ago
- Sport
- Reuters
Women's Euro exit shows once-mighty Germany battling to keep pace
July 24 (Reuters) - A courageous German performance in their 1-0 Women's Euro semi-final defeat by world champions Spain means they leave Switzerland with heads high, but the once-dominant team need to find a cutting attacking edge to keep up with the best. Spain playmaker Aitana Bonmati proved to be the difference, conjuring up a superb winner in extra time. Though Christian Wueck's young side performed well on the night, they lacked a truly world-class attacking talent to turn a game in their favour at such a high level. "We have to evolve, we have to improve, we had phases of ball possession today that we simply did not exploit well, and those are areas where we need to improve, especially in the youth system, so that we can develop well-trained players for the Bundesliga," Wueck told reporters. "Also (we need to) perform better in those phases of ball possession that were not well-executed today, especially at that level. That is part of being a top team, and of course we are still lacking in comparison to Spain and England." Spain face England in Sunday's final. Eight-time champions Germany have not won the tournament since 2013 in Stockholm, and in the meantime they have been reined in and passed by as other countries pour money into the development of the women's game. The 2013 victory was built on the back of the stunning goalkeeping of Nadine Angerer, who saved two penalties in the final against Norway, and the 2025 squad looked to have a similar net-minding talisman in the shape of Ann-Katrin Berger, who pulled off a miraculous save in their quarter-final against France to prevent an own goal. Berger followed that up with a stellar performance in the penalty shootout win over the French that followed, but on Wednesday she was caught out by Bonmati's lightning shot from a tight angle to her uncovered near post that ended up as the only goal of the game. Though Berger took the blame for the defeat, it was not solely hers to bear. Germany had plenty of chances, with Klara Buehl superb down the left, but they lacked the killer instinct in front of goal that Bonmati displayed. All in all, the Germans displayed plenty of promise as they beat Poland, Denmark and the French in Switzerland, with the only blemish a shock 4-1 defeat by Sweden in which they had a player sent off in the first half. Though some of his choices have been questioned, Wueck says his focus on young players is paying off. "I recently read that the (German Football Association) DFB is miles behind the top nations, and three days later I read that we are in the semi-finals. So maybe the Germans need to learn a little bit that we do everything together, that we want the best for the German nation," he said.
