Aitana Bonmatí solidifies her position at the top of the Guardian's Women's Football Top 100 for a third consecutive year. The 27-year-old midfielder from Catalonia has defied expectations by securing her third title in a row, surpassing her Barcelona and Spain teammate Alexia Putellas' achievements.
The record-breaking feat is particularly impressive considering Bonmatí's consistency throughout her career, with over 300 appearances for Barcelona under her belt. Her rise to the top of the women's game has been marked by outstanding performances on both the continental and domestic stages. Despite a tight margin of victory in 2025, earning 453 points ahead of Mariona Caldentey, Bonmatí remains the benchmark against which all others are measured.
Bonmatí's impressive form earned her 43% of the No 1 votes, demonstrating her status as the best player in women's football. Her Barcelona roots and Catalan heritage have made her an icon both domestically and internationally. However, injury concerns will see her miss over four months of action in 2026, a setback that could potentially be mitigated by her consistent performances.
In recognition of their contributions to women's football, several newcomers broke into the top 100, including Morocco's Ghizlane Chebbak and Canada's Esther Okoronkwo. The growth of the women's game has been evident in this year's list, with almost a quarter of the top 100 being new faces.
The Women's Super League asserted its dominance by claiming 39 spots on the list, while the NWSL and Liga F followed closely behind. The USA and France also made significant inroads into the rankings, solidifying their positions at the top.
For Bonmatí to remain at the pinnacle of women's football will be essential as new talents emerge and seek to challenge her dominance.
The record-breaking feat is particularly impressive considering Bonmatí's consistency throughout her career, with over 300 appearances for Barcelona under her belt. Her rise to the top of the women's game has been marked by outstanding performances on both the continental and domestic stages. Despite a tight margin of victory in 2025, earning 453 points ahead of Mariona Caldentey, Bonmatí remains the benchmark against which all others are measured.
Bonmatí's impressive form earned her 43% of the No 1 votes, demonstrating her status as the best player in women's football. Her Barcelona roots and Catalan heritage have made her an icon both domestically and internationally. However, injury concerns will see her miss over four months of action in 2026, a setback that could potentially be mitigated by her consistent performances.
In recognition of their contributions to women's football, several newcomers broke into the top 100, including Morocco's Ghizlane Chebbak and Canada's Esther Okoronkwo. The growth of the women's game has been evident in this year's list, with almost a quarter of the top 100 being new faces.
The Women's Super League asserted its dominance by claiming 39 spots on the list, while the NWSL and Liga F followed closely behind. The USA and France also made significant inroads into the rankings, solidifying their positions at the top.
For Bonmatí to remain at the pinnacle of women's football will be essential as new talents emerge and seek to challenge her dominance.
300+ appearances with Barcelona is no joke, and now she's breaking records left and right 
43% of the No 1 votes is insane, but I guess you can't argue with perfection... yet 
The growth of women's football is so inspiring, it's awesome to see new faces like Ghizlane Chebbak and Esther Okoronkwo making waves 
I think its awesome that Aitana Bonmatí is killing it on the field for 3 years in a row 
She's been so consistent, it's not easy to maintain that level of performance over time. And yeah, its cool that she's from Catalonia and Barcelona has played a big part in her success 
The growth of women's football is really exciting, with more players from different countries breaking into the top 100 
It'll be interesting to see who tries to challenge Bonmatí next season 
300+ appearances for Barcelona is insane! What's crazy is how consistent she's been, year in year out 
. I think it's time for someone to step up and give her a run for her money though 
. Can't wait to see how she handles the injury gap in '26 
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but at the same time she's still got like 300 appearances under her belt from barcelona which is insane 
i feel bad for alexia putellas who had to step down this year but bonmatí is defo on top and imo its gonna be hard for anyone else to challenge her
! Her consistency over 300 games for Barcelona is mind-blowing 
... 4 months out = major setback 
. Can't wait to see her back on the pitch 
️. The growth of women's football is amazing, so stoked to see new talent like Ghizlane Chebbak and Esther Okoronkwo making a name for themselves 
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she's literally the best midfielder ever! I mean, 300+ appearances for Barcelona is crazy 
she's still killing it at 27! three consecutive years at number one is insane... i mean who else can say that? 
and it's awesome that the usa and france are making waves in the rankings too... 
, like the Barcelona youth system that produced Aitana Bonmatí 
, highlighting the importance of diversity and representation in sports 
. But what's interesting is how this story raises questions about equality and opportunities for women athletes across different leagues and countries 
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another record breaking season from Aitana Bonmatí, I mean 3rd time in a row is insane 
gotta respect the consistency 
injury concerns though... fingers crossed she recovers quick 
new faces emerging tho 
ghizlane chebbak and esther okoronkwo making waves 
. Her consistency is truly inspiring, especially considering she's already got over 300 appearances under her belt 
she's been killing it in women's football for years and it's crazy she's broken that record 
. Can't wait to see who'll challenge Bonmatí's throne in 2026 
Her consistency on the pitch is incredible, and it's amazing to see a woman dominating in her sport. 
What I love most about this news is how it showcases the growth of women's football. It's like we're finally seeing some recognition of the talent out there and it's so uplifting!