Aitana Bonmatí has cemented her status as a football legend after being crowned the Guardian's top 100 history for an unprecedented third time. The 27-year-old Barcelona midfielder has dominated the women's game, with only the best players managing to dethrone her. In fact, she's become synonymous with the Blaugrana stripes, having made over 300 appearances for the Catalan giants.
The young Catalan was born and bred in Catalonia, with both her parents being teachers of the language. Her love for football has taken her on an incredible journey, from childhood to international stardom. Despite facing challenges, including a broken leg before the Nations League final, she's continued to shine on the pitch.
Bonmatí's impressive performances have earned her 43% of the No 1 votes in this year's Guardian Top 100 history, ahead of compatriot Mariona Caldentey with 21%. Her team-mate Alexia Putellas took fourth place with a 8% share. The Spanish duo led a strong contingent of female players from across the world who made an impact on the rankings.
However, not all was new in this year's top 100 history. In fact, almost a quarter of those making the list were first-timers, highlighting just how fast women's football is growing. England goalkeeper Hannah Hampton shot straight into the top five after her Euro-winning performances, while Vicky López and Sofia Cantore also made their mark.
Meanwhile, players like Amanda Gutierres from Brazil and Nigeria's Gift Monday earned their first appearances in the Guardian Top 100 history. Charlyn Corral from Mexico gained recognition for the first time, as did Olivia Smith, Lily Yohannes, Signe Gaupset, and several others who represented a mix of age and experience.
As expected, top teams dominated certain regions on the list. Women's Super League players led the way with 39 spots in this year's Guardian Top 100 history, followed by NWSL and Liga F clubs. The United States and France had nine each, while Brazil jumped into the top five for the first time.
Other notable rankings included Marta once again as the oldest representative, playing a key role in Brazil's Copa América success with a late goal against Colombia, and Aoba Fujino missing out by a hair's breadth.
The young Catalan was born and bred in Catalonia, with both her parents being teachers of the language. Her love for football has taken her on an incredible journey, from childhood to international stardom. Despite facing challenges, including a broken leg before the Nations League final, she's continued to shine on the pitch.
Bonmatí's impressive performances have earned her 43% of the No 1 votes in this year's Guardian Top 100 history, ahead of compatriot Mariona Caldentey with 21%. Her team-mate Alexia Putellas took fourth place with a 8% share. The Spanish duo led a strong contingent of female players from across the world who made an impact on the rankings.
However, not all was new in this year's top 100 history. In fact, almost a quarter of those making the list were first-timers, highlighting just how fast women's football is growing. England goalkeeper Hannah Hampton shot straight into the top five after her Euro-winning performances, while Vicky López and Sofia Cantore also made their mark.
Meanwhile, players like Amanda Gutierres from Brazil and Nigeria's Gift Monday earned their first appearances in the Guardian Top 100 history. Charlyn Corral from Mexico gained recognition for the first time, as did Olivia Smith, Lily Yohannes, Signe Gaupset, and several others who represented a mix of age and experience.
As expected, top teams dominated certain regions on the list. Women's Super League players led the way with 39 spots in this year's Guardian Top 100 history, followed by NWSL and Liga F clubs. The United States and France had nine each, while Brazil jumped into the top five for the first time.
Other notable rankings included Marta once again as the oldest representative, playing a key role in Brazil's Copa América success with a late goal against Colombia, and Aoba Fujino missing out by a hair's breadth.
, i mean don't get me wrong aitana bonmatí is def a legend and all, but 43% of the top 100 history votes? that feels like an awful lot to me 
, plus it sounds like every team dominated certain regions on the list, which kinda makes it feel more like a popularity contest than actual skill 
. also, what's with the emphasis on europe and north america? where are the players from africa and asia getting the recognition they deserve? 
she's breaking all records and still going strong 
and to think she's been doing this since she was a kid, it's crazy how far she's come 
I'm not surprised she's at the top of the Guardian Top 100 history though, she's always been one of my fave players 
love how the list is all about women's football too, it's so inspiring to see all these talented ladies grinding out there 
. I mean, 300+ appearances for Barcelona is insane, and she's still dominating the game like it's nobody's business 
. Here's hoping we get to see even more talented players break into the top 100 soon 
I'm not surprised at all that Aitana Bonmatí is on top of the Guardian's Top 100 history for the third time! She's been killing it on the pitch for years and her dedication to football is truly inspiring 
. The fact that almost a quarter of the players on the list are first-timers is amazing 
, it just goes to show how much women's football is growing and gaining recognition worldwide 
, especially the Women's Super League players - they're the real MVPs 
️. Can't wait to see who will be in contention next year! 
can't believe shes got 43% of the votes already, she's literally a legend on the pitch! 
almost 25% of them were new faces, thats amazing growth and i love how the teams came through strong with players from womens super league, nwsL and ligaf clubs 
alexia putellas took fourth place? that's awesome! 
. I'm loving how the list has so many new faces, it's crazy to think women's football is growing that fast! 
. The fact that almost a quarter of those on the list are newbies says a lot about how fast women's football is growing and becoming more mainstream 
. I'm also loving the stats - Women's Super League players making up most of the spots in England, and Brazil jumping into the top 5 for the first time 
. It's great to see all these talented players getting recognition and proving themselves on the pitch 
But what I'm really happy about is how the Guardian Top 100 history is showcasing so many talented women from around the world. Like, Hannah Hampton from England shot straight into the top five after her Euro-winning performances and Vicky López from Spain also made a big impact. It's amazing to see players like Amanda Gutierres from Brazil and Gift Monday from Nigeria getting recognition for their skills. I think this is a great way to promote women's football and give more opportunities to talented female players.