Tag Archives: Linda Caicedo

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

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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)

Aitana Bonmatí Among Four Spanish Soccer Players to Make Shortlist for The Best FIFA Women’s Player Honors

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Aitana Bonmatí is among four Spanish soccer players gunning for Best honors.

The 25-year-old Spanish professional footballer, who plays as a midfielder for Liga F club Barcelona and the Spain women’s national team, has made the shortlist of players for The Best FIFA Women’s Player honors.

Aitana Bonmati,Spain, who won the Women’s World Cup for the first time in Australia last month, has three other players on the 12-name shortlist for women’s award in addition to Bonmatí.

Jenni Hermoso, Mapi León and Salma Paralluelo are also in the race to succeed La Roja midfielder Alexia Putellas by winning the trophy.

Linda Caicedo, Rachel Daly, Kadidiatou Diani, Caitlin Foord, Mary Fowler, Alex Greenwood, Amanda Ilestedt, Lauren James, Sam Kerr, Hinata Miyazawa and Keira Walsh are also nominated, with Lindsey Horan the only United States player making it onto the shortlist.

Voting for the eighth annual awards opened on Thursday on FIFA.com and closes in mid-October. National team coaches, captains, journalists and fans make up the list of voters.

Manuela Vanegas Helps Lead Colombia Past Two-Time World Champion Germany Team

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Manuela Vanegas has helped Colombia pull off a massive upset…

The 22-year-old Colombian professional footballer headed a stoppage-time winner to give Colombia a 2-1 upset victory over Germany just when the two-time world champions thought they’d saved a point in a thrilling FIFA Women’s World Cup clash at Sydney Football Stadium.

Manuela VanegasThe defender powered the ball home from a corner eight minutes after German striker Alexandra Popp had converted a penalty to cancel out a stunning strike from Colombian teenager Linda Caicedo.

Caicedo, who collapsed in training last Thursday, played a starring role against Germany and netted the game’s opener with a superb curling effort into the top corner in the 52nd minute.

Colombia tore into the match from the kickoff and the Germans looked rattled not only by their aggression but also by the deafening noise of their yellow-shirted fans.

Colombia striker Mayra Ramirez headed a chance down and wide in the ninth minute and the South Americans continued to hassle the Germans with a dig to the ribs here and a flailing arm in a tackle there.

The corner was Germany’s major weapon in their opening 6-0 thrashing of Morocco, but Colombia goalkeeper Catalina Perez came out confidently to gather the first ball swung in from the corner flag.

Germany forward Lina Magull had a good chance in the 21st minute but her swing at the ball made contact with nothing but air, and Lena Oberdorf‘s subsequent effort was blocked.

Popp, who scored two goals against the Moroccans, should have added to her tournament tally in the 42nd minute but blazed her volley high and wide from close range.

Colombia continued to launch the ball forward to their front players at every opportunity, but it was not until seven minutes after the break that they were able to break the stalemate.

Showing no sign of the nerves that her coach said were behind her collapse on Thursday, the 18-year-old Caicedo gathered the ball on the left edge of the box, cut back between two defenders and curled it into the top-right corner.

The stadium exploded with noise as the diminutive teenager celebrated her second goal at the tournament, having become the youngest player to score in this World Cup with a similar effort in Colombia’s 2-0 opening win over South Korea.

Germany continued to spurn what chances they created, but with two minutes left on the clock, Oberdorf was brought down in the box by Perez, and Popp stepped up to thump the ball confidently into the net.

The 27th-ranked Colombians now need only a draw against Morocco in their final Group H match to be certain of reaching the round of 16, while Germany are still likely to progress if they beat South Korea in their last fixture.