Aitana Bonmatí Wins FIFA’s The Best Women’s Award

Aitana Bonmatí has cemented her status as the best women’s footballer…

The 25-year-old Spanish soccer player, a Barcelona and Spain midfielder has claimed FIFA‘s The Best women’s award to go alongside her Ballon d’Or Féminin title.

Aitana Bonmatí Bonmatí enjoyed a record-breaking season with club country in which she helped Barça win Liga F amid a two-year unbeaten run that ended on the last day of the season, followed by leading Spain to win their first-ever FIFA Women’s World Cup title.

She was named Player of the Tournament in Australia and New Zealand, as well as being crowned UEFA Women’s Player of the Year.

“It’s been an incredible and unique year that I will remember for the rest of my life,” Bonmati said on the stage in London. “I owe this to the teams that I play with: Barcelona and the national team.

“Without my teammates I would not be here picking up these awards. I will always be thankful to those who have not failed me — my family and my friends.

“I want to congratulate all the nominees and say that I am proud of being part of a powerful generation of women who are changing the rules of the game.”

The other two nominees shortlisted for Monday’s award were Real Madrid‘s Linda Caicedo, who had an outstanding World Cup with Colombia, and Tigres UANL‘s Jenni Hermoso, who played with Bonmatí for Spain and kick-started a MeToo movement in the country over the behavior of federation president Luis Rubiales.

Bonmatí’s award continues Barça’s hold over the women’s prize, with midfielder Alexia Putellas having won the award in 2021 and 2022, although she has made just a handful appearances in the past 12 months due to an ACL injury.

The timeline for the award was between December 19, 2022 and August 20, 2023 — the day of the Women’s World Cup final.

The three nominees for the award were compiled, FIFA said, in collaboration with its “football stakeholders,” with shortlists determined by two separate panels of former players and coaches. The winner of the award was then voted between journalists, fans, national team captains and managers.

Earlier in Monday’s ceremony, Lionel Messi won his third FIFA the Best men’s award.

Here’s the full list of women’s awards winners:

FIFA’s The Best women’s Award: Aitana Bonmatí 
Women’s Coach of the Year
: Sarina Wiegman
Goalkeeper of the Year: Mary Earps (Man United)

Women’s World XI:

Goalkeeper: Earps (Man United)
Defence: Olga Carmona (Real Madrid), Lucy Bronze (Barcelona), Alex Greenwood (Man City)
Midfield: Keira Walsh (Man City), Alessia Russo (Arsenal), Lauren James (Chelsea), Ella Toone (Man United), Aitana Bonmatí (Barcelona)
Attack: Alex Morgan (San Diego Wave), Sam Kerr (Chelsea)

FC Dallas Signs LaLiga Veteran Asier Illarramendi 

Asier Illarramendi is headed to the Lone Star State

FC Dallas has announced the signing of the 33-year-old Spanish professional footballer and LaLiga veteran  for the remainder of the 2023 season.

Asier IllarramendiThe deal includes a club option for 2024 with the midfielder, a former UEFA Champions League winner at Real Madrid.

Illarramendi spent the past nine seasons at Real Sociedad, where he registered 11 goals in 167 appearances during his second stint with the Spanish side.

“Asier is a high-quality midfielder who brings more than a decade of experience in La Liga,including three years during a remarkable run at Real Madrid,” FC Dallas technical director Andre Zanotta said. “His leadership will be an asset to the entire organization.”

Illarramendi will occupy an international roster slot with FC Dallas.

Later Thursday, FC Dallas also traded homegrown midfielder Edwin Cerrillo to the Los Angeles Galaxy in exchange for $200,000 in 2023 General Allocation Money and up to $400,000 in conditional GAM if certain performance metrics are met.

Cerrillo played in 87 matches for FC Dallas since debuting for the club in 2019. He has four career assists.

Chelsea & Benfica Remain Locked In Talks Over Enzo Fernandez

The fight is on for Enzo Fernandez

Chelsea and Benfica remain locked in talks over what could turn into a British record transfer fee for the 21-year-old Argentina midfielder, according to ESPN.

Enzo FernandezFernandez is keen on moving to Stamford Bridge and Benfica are willing to agree to the move if their €120 million release clause is met in full.

Negotiations are ongoing amid conflicting messages from sources close to both clubs. Those close to Benfica suggest Chelsea have indicated they could pay up to €127m, with the extra money designed to entice the Portuguese club into accepting a series of installments over several years.

However, sources with knowledge of Chelsea’s position insist they are yet to commit themselves to such a sum and are hoping to negotiate Benfica down to a lower figure. Payments are likely to be staggered in any agreement that is reached.

This is a common occurrence in many transfers but while Chelsea are confident they have significant headroom regarding UEFA‘s Financial Fair Play rules, the club have plans to continue an expensive overhaul after committing £278.4m in the summer.

A lower initial fee for Fernandez would give them more space to move on other deals, the first of which is likely to be the imminent €37m signing of Monaco centre-back Benoit Badiashile.

The British transfer record is £100m, paid by Manchester City to Aston Villa for Jack Grealish in 2021.

Chelsea’s interest in Fernandez is genuine and he is their top midfield target in this window. The club have engaged the services of agent Jorge Mendes in an effort to broker an agreement.

Sources have told ESPN that Fernandez is hopeful of completing a transfer to Chelsea this month with personal terms not thought to be an issue if the two clubs can finalize a fee.

Alexia Putellas Wins Ballon d’Or Feminin for Second Consecutive Year

Alexia Putellas has earned a place in soccer history…

The 28-year-old Spanish professional footballer and Barcelona midfielder has won the Ballon d’Or Feminin for the second consecutive year, becoming the first woman to win the award twice since it launched in 2018.

Alexia PutellasPutellas was named the best women’s player in the world at the Monday gala in Paris despite being sidelined since June with a torn anterior cruciate ligament. 

She finished ahead of Arsenal‘s Beth Mead and Chelsea‘s Sam Kerr, who were second and third, respectively.

“Without my teammates this would not have been possible,” Putellas said after receiving the award. “I want to thank the staff and the coach and everyone involved at Barcelona.

“I’m very happy to be back here and pleased because a year ago I was able to win this prize and it pushed me to want to be even better.”

Prior to her injury in the summer, Putellas captained Barcelona to a third successive Primera Division title. The Catalan side made history by winning all 30 of their league games throughout the 2021-22 campaign.

She also led Barcelona to success in the Spanish Super Cup and the Copa de la Reina to complete a domestic treble, although they came up short in the Champions League.

Putellas’ strike in the final was not enough to stop French side Lyon from beating Barcelona 3-1 in Turin.

However, after scoring 11 goals in the Champions League, more than any other player in the competition, Putellas was later named UEFA Women’s Player of the Year ahead of Mead and Lena Oberdorf.

In addition to those 11 goals in Europe, she scored 18 league goals from midfield, four in the Copa de la Reina and one in the Super Cup.

Putellas had hoped success would follow for Spain in the summer, but she tore her left ACL in training with the national team ahead of the European Championship in England.

She has not played since and is expected to remain out of action for several more months.

Last year, Putellas became the first Spanish winner of a Ballon d’Or since Luis Suarez in 1960. She was also named the Best FIFA Women’s Player.

The Ballon d’Or Feminin was launched in 2018 when it was won by Lyon’s Ada HegerbergMegan Rapinoe won it the following year before it was suspended in 2020 because of the pandemic.

Alexia Putellas Wins UEFA Women’s Player of the Year Award

Alexia Putellas is this year’s soccer star…

The 28-year-old Spanish professional footballer and Barcelona midfielder has won the UEFA Women’s Player of the Year award, beating England’s Beth Mead and Germany’s Lena Oberdorf to the top prize, while England head coach Sarina Wiegman was crowned coach of the year.

Alexia PutellasPutellas, who won award last year along with the Ballon d’Or Feminin, netted 34 goals for Barca last season as the club won all the domestic trophies and reached the Champions League final.

However, Putellas did not play at the Women’s Euro 2022 after tearing her knee ligaments in training and faced stiff competition in Mead, who won player of the tournament as well as finishing top scorer with six goals.

Meanwhile, Mead’s international boss Wiegman picked up another award on Thursday as she won coach of the year for her role in guiding England to their first major title in 56 years.

“It’s really nice to receive this great award, I’m very honored and humbled,” she said.

“This award is really for everyone involved with the England team, the FA, the staff and of course, most of all, the players. Thank you very much.”

The Football Association is planning to hold contract talks with Wiegman, who has been in the role since September 2021, over a contract extension as England hope to extend their success at next summer’s Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

Camila Cabello Embraces Latin Roots in Champions League Final Opening Performance

Camila Cabello has embraced her Latin roots at the Champions League final…

The 25-year-old Mexican & Cuban singer gave futbol fans something to remember at the opening of the 2022 UEFA Champions League final on Saturday, May 28.

Camila CabelloPrior to the face-off between Liverpool and Real Madrid, Cabello delivered a colorful spectacle for thousands of fans at Stade de France in Paris.

The carnival-themed celebration, which Cabello paid homage to Cabello’s Latin heritage, featured a medley of “Senorita,” “Havana,” “Bam Bam” and “Don’t Go Yet.”

In a recent interview with Billboard, Cabello discussed weaving elements of her Latin culture into her new music and into every aspect of her life.

“My music, I always feel celebrates my heritage and my Cuban-Mexican heritage, so there’s going to be songs from Familia on there,” the singer said of the performance.

The performance was a natural fit for Cabello, who grew up watching the World Cup with her family every four years. “Out of every sport, it’s the only one I really understand and the one that gets me the most hyped,” she said. “I’ve always wanted to see a soccer game in person.”

Cabello has always been openly proud of her Latin culture, and on her recent studio album, Familia, that connection is deeply celebrated through vibrant instrumentals and a number of Spanish-language songs including “Celia,” “Hasta Los Dientes” featuring Maria Becerra and verses in “Lola” featuring Yotuel.

The UEFA Champions League final opening ceremony, presented by Pepsi, aired in more 200 countries and territories worldwide.

Camila Cabello to Perform at UEFA Champions League Opening Ceremony

Camila Cabello is in a (Champions) League of her own…

The 25-year-old Mexican and Cuban singer is set to headline the Opening Ceremony of the 2022 UEFA Champions League final.

Camila CabelloCabello announced the news with a colorful video in which she sings her 2017 smash “Havana” in a colorful, blossoming AI universe. In it, she struts across a stage before spinning around as her blue dress transforms into a flowing pink gown, and she transitions into her recent single “Bam Bam” as a virtual version of the champion’s cup floats high above her.

“I’m excited to announce that I’ll be performing at the UEFA @championsleague Final Opening Ceremony presented by @pepsiglobal #PepsiShow. I’ve got lots of surprises in store for you,” Cabello wrote in a message to fans. The showdown between Liverpool and Real Madrid will take place at Stade de France on May 28.

Marshmello headlined last year’s opening ceremony with a mind-bending six-minute virtual performance that was two years in the making.

On May 5, Cabello was honored at Variety’s Power of Women event for her work with the Movement Voter Fund to launch the Healing Justice Project, and used her time on the floor to discuss the Supreme Court’s leaked draft opinion that experts suspect could lead to an overturning of the seminal 1973 Roe v. Wade case that has guaranteed women the right to an abortion.

“It’s atrocious,” the 25-year-old singer said during her speech in which she also encouraged people to get involved by voting on the local level and donating to relevant causes. “Obviously it’s going to affect poor women the most, because women that have resources — even like me — will be able to handle things if if they’re needed. The idea of having one moment transform the course of a woman’s life is tragic. And it’s tragic [that] the people affected are not having a say.”

Alexia Putellas Claims This Year’s ‘The Best FIFA Women’s Player’ Award

It’s a special third for Alexia Putellas

The 27-year-old Spanish footballer, a midfielder for Barcelona and Spain, has won The Best FIFA Women’s Player award for 2022, marking her third individual award in the last six months.

Alexia PutellasPutellas previously won the Ballon d’Or Feminin in November and was named UEFA Women’s Player of the Year in August.

Chelsea manager Emma Hayes was awarded The Best FIFA Women’s Coach award after a year in which she won the domestic Treble and made it to the Champions League final.

Canada and Portland ThornsChristine Sinclair was awarded The Best FIFA Special award while Chile and Lyon‘s Christiane Endler was awarded The Best FIFA Women’s Goalkeeper award.

“This belongs to everyone,” Putellas said after receiving the award. “I hope we can continue with the same or even more motivations this year and we can be very successful again.

“This is the work of many years. 2021 was perfect. We only hope to finish this year the same way.”

Putellas fought off strong competition from teammate Jennifer Hermoso and Chelsea’s Sam Kerr for Monday’s award — the same two finalists for the Ballon d’Or Feminin.

Putellas helped Barca to a Treble-winning 2020-21 season in which they won the Primera Divsion, the Copa de la Reina and took home the Champions League trophy for the first time in their history.

Meanwhile, several Latina players were named to the FIFA Women’s World XI team, including Endler, Argentina’s Estefania Banini and Brazil’s Marta.

FIFA Women’s World XI
Christiane Endler – Lyon, Chile
Lucy Bronze – Manchester City, England
Wendie Renard – Lyon, France
Millie Bright – Chelsea, England
Magdalena Eriksson – Chelsea, Sweden
Estefania Banini – Atletico Madrid, Argentina
Carli Lloyd – NJ/NY Gotham, United States
Barbara Bonansea – Juventus, Italy
Vivianne Miedema – Arsenal, Netherlands
Marta – Orlando Pride, Brazil
Alex Morgan – San Diego Wave, United States

Alexia Putellas Becomes First Spanish Ballon d’Or Winner Since 1960

Alexia Putellas has earned her place in Spanish sports history…

The 27-year-old Spanish footballer and Barcelona midfielder has become the first Spain international to win the Ballon d’Or since 1960 after leading her club to the Treble this year.

Alexia Putellas Putellas was named the best women’s player in the world on Monday as she received the Ballon d’Or Feminin.

Putellas, who was also named UEFA Women’s Player of the Year in August, is the first Spanish winner since Luis Suarez in 1960.

“Honestly, it is a bit emotional. Very special. It is great to be here with all my teammates. We’ve lived and experienced so much together, especially last season,” she said.

“I would like to thank all my teammates, all my teammates throughout my career and the ones I have right now. This is an individual prize but football is a team sport.

“I’d also like to thank the club of course. It is a real privilege to be here representing Barcelona.”

Barca teammate Jennifer Hermoso came in second place while Chelsea‘s Sam Kerr was voted third.

After a record-breaking year, Barca had an unmatched five players among the 20 finalists, with Hermoso, Lieke Martens, Sandra Panos and Irene Paredes also nominated for the award.

However, Putellas was deemed the outstanding player of a side, which won the Primera Division, the Copa de la Reina and the Champions League for the first time ever, beating Chelsea 4-0 in the final.

The midfielder becomes just the third woman to win the Ballon d’Or after Ada Hegerberg, the inaugural winner in 2018, and Megan Rapinoe, who won it in 2019. There was no award in 2020 due to the pandemic.

Putellas, 27, scored 26 goals last season as Barca clinched the Treble and she has continued her fine form into the current campaign, netting 14 goals in 13 appearances.

After spending one year at Barca’s youth academy when she was younger, Putellas spent her formative years at Espanyol, breaking into the first team at 16 before signing for Levante at 17.

In 2012, aged 18, she returned to Barca. Over the last decade, she has seen the team turn professional and played a key role as they have transformed into the best team in Europe.

She had made close to 400 appearances for the club and, after the departure of Vicky Losada to Manchester City in the summer, was recently named as the new first-team captain.

2021 Ballon d’Or Feminin rankings

  1. Alexia Putellas
    2. Jennifer Hermoso
    3. Sam Kerr
    4. Vivianne Miedema
    5. Lieke Martens
    6. Christine Sinclair
    7. Pernille Harder
    8. Ashley Lawrence
    9. Jessie Fleming
    10. Fran Kirby
    11. Magda Eriksson
    12. Christiane Endler
    13. Stina Blackstenius
    14. Sam Mewis
    15. Irene Paredes
    16. Ellen White
    17. Kadidiatou Diani
    18. Marie-Antoinette Katoto
    19. Sandra Panos
    20. Wendie Renard

Messi Makes the UEFA’s Shortlist for the 2015-16 Goal of the Season Award

Lionel Messi is gol oriented.…

The 29-year-oldArgentine soccer player and FC Barcelona star is among the 10 players who’ve made the UEFA‘s shortlist for the 2015-16 Goal of the Season award, covering last season’s European club competitions and the Euro 2016 finals.

Lionel Messi

Messi’s flick past Roma goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny after a team move involving Neymar and Luis Suarez in the 6-1 Champions League group-stage victory is on the list alongside Atletico Madrid midfielder Saul Niguez‘s solo effort against Bayern Munich in the semifinal first leg.

Gonzalo Higuain‘s solo run and fierce strike for Napoli against Legia Warsaw in the Europa League is also a contender, with spectacular efforts from Juan Cuadrado and Stephan Lichtsteiner for Juventus also recognised.

The goals chosen from Euro 2016 are Xherdan Shaqiri‘s acrobatic late equalizer for Switzerland against Poland and Marek Hamsik‘s strike for Slovakia against Russia.

Lionel Messi

That means Zoltan Gera‘s strike for Hungary against Portugal and Cristiano Ronaldo‘s header for Portugal against Wales — voted first and second respectively by fans for Euro 2016’s Goal of the Tournament award — are not under consideration.

Also nominated for the Goal of the Season award are Barcelona youngster Carlos Alena‘s mazy dribble against Roma in the UEFA Youth League, Camille Abily‘s overhead kick for Lyon against Sparta Prague in the Women’s Champions League and Ricardinho‘s special strike for Portugal against Serbia at Futsal EURO 2016.

Fans can vote online at UEFA.com until Aug. 23 to choose their favorite goal from the shortlist chosen by UEFA‘s expert panel.

A similar online vote has been launched allowing supporters to choose their Save of the Season.