Ballon d’Or winner Aitana Bonmati says the Women’s Super League is an “attractive” competition for Spanish players after criticising the lack of legacy in the domestic game following Spain’s Women’s World Cup.
The 26-year-old Barcelona midfielder highlighted how the WSL empowers its players and singled out Arsenal and Manchester City’s style of play as desirable factors to Spain internationals.
A number of Spanish players have moved to the WSL in recent seasons, with Laia Aleixandri and Leila Ouahabi joining Manchester City, Lucia Garcia and Irene Guerrero signing for Manchester United and Laia Codina moving to Arsenal. Former Barcelona captain Vicky Losada signed for her third WSL club last summer when she joined Brighton following spells at Manchester City and Arsenal.
“You in England are doing things so well,” Bonmati told BBC Sport. “You treat women’s football good. You give power to the players and to the league. Here in Spain, I cannot say the same.
“The league in England is competitive and every year they are putting more money into it to develop it. They are making the league more attractive.”
Bonmati is a product of the Barcelona academy and has spent her entire professional career with the Catalan side. Her Barcelona contract runs until 2025.
Bonmati continued: “Arsenal and Manchester City are good teams that can play with the ball and these kinds of teams are searching for players who can play this kind of football. Who (better) to do that than Spanish players?”
Spain won the Women’s World Cup for the first time last summer after victory over England in the final, but the aftermath was dominated by the Luis Rubiales scandal.
England won their maiden major tournament title the previous year with their Euro 2022 triumph, and the lasting impact continues to be felt in the domestic game. Arsenal have set three WSL attendance records this season, with their latest of 60,160 coming during February’s victory over Manchester United at the Emirates.
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Aitana Bonmati exclusive interview: ‘There’s no hiding. It’s what comes naturally to me’
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