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Three-time Ballon d’Or winner Aitana Bonmati suffered a broken leg in Spain training on Sunday
Will CastleTuesday 02 December 2025 17:26 GMTComments
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Ballon d'Or winner Aitana Bonmati will face a race against time to return to action before the end of the season after undergoing surgery on a broken leg.
The Barcelona and Spain midfielder fell awkwardly during a session on Sunday and tests revealed she had a fractured fibula.
The injury ruled her out of Spain's Nations League final second leg at home to Germany, a huge blow for the reigning world champions with the tie still on a knife-edge.
Bonmati took to social media on Tuesday afternoon to reveal that her surgery was successful and with the 27-year-old now set to be sidelined for five months, she saw the positive side of having the chance to take a break.
“Surgery went well (and) now it's time to regenerate physically and mentally,” she wrote. “Elite football pushes you to the limit in every aspect and there are factors that were currently preventing me from enjoying the profession and the day-to-day.
"Honestly (I) felt like it was a time to put the brakes on and actually thought about it but didn't and life just stopped at a halt. With this lesson I face what comes convinced that it will be a learning experience.
“I want to thank the doctors, the medical services and the Hospital of Barcelona, as well as all the people who are supporting me.”
Barcelona confirmed the expected timeframe of Bonmati’s recovery, which would all but definitely keep her out for the rest of the season.
Barcelona’s last league game takes place on 31 May, with the Women’s Champions League final scheduled for the previous weekend.
Aitana Bonmati won her third Ballon d’Or this year (AFP via Getty Images)Holders Spain host Germany on Tuesday after the first game finished goalless.
Bonmati played 77 minutes of the first leg in Kaiserslautern but will now play no part in the deciding clash at the Estadio Metropolitano.
She became the first player to win the women's Ballon d'Or three times this year after achieving a domestic treble with the Blaugrana and firing Spain to the Euro 2025 final, which they lost to the Lionesses.
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