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Spain's 2023 Women's World Cup final triumph was the end product of youth teams growing together and player movement motivation. Throughout the tournament, the squad had to navigate headlines around their player protest and discourse with their head coach Jorge Vilda and federation. On the pitch, the players dazzled global audiences with their ball movement, passing and possession. 

Aitana Bonmati, the 25-year-old midfielder, aided the team in the midfield as the composer and conductor. La Roja ultimately won the grand prize as a team, but Bonmati's tournament performance was a slow build-up instead of a breakout. It aided the Iberians in claiming the title, and it will help define the program for years to come, with her career set to be defined before long. 

Here's what to know:

A Golden Ball journey

At Barcelona, the spotlight was placed upon her after teammate Alexia Putellas -- the two-time Ballon d'Or winner --  sustained an ACL injury. With no shortage of stars at the club, Patri Guijarro and England's Kiera Walsh shifted to help cover the loss, while Bonmati was pushed further toward the goal. Her ability to generate attack near the box, create her own shot, assist others and provide defensive coverage has made her an irreplaceable figure for club and country.

She won the 2023 World Cup Golden Ball, awarded to the tournament's best player, after her standout play with three goals and two assists. Her positional awareness, footwork and capability to win balls make her a force to be reckoned with. She lead midfielders in pass completion into the final third (92%) and completed all but two of her 44 passes in the Woeld Cup final.

Changing the program for the future

Last September, 15 players who were mainly Barcelona members, privately tried to resolve issues around coaching and team culture with the federation. Bonmati was part of the movement to bring attention to the varying problems, and as the World Cup got closer, the federation made attempts to have individual meetings with players to smooth things over.

Ahead of the knockout rounds, Bonmati said the player protest was difficult but that she wanted to be part of it and was hopeful for changes. In her Players' Tribune piece, she wrote:

"During the season — and I can only speak for myself here — I had some meetings with the federation. Both parties agreed and accepted that some things had to change in order for me to come back. At that moment I was hopeful that the federation would give us the backing we deserve. And so in the end, I decided to play this World Cup.

"I don't want to dwell on this any more for now. I'm just super excited about this tournament. And I feel confident that I made the right decision."

The player protest combined with prior World Cup disappointment were motivating factors for Bonmati to move forward with the World Cup. She was part of the 2019 squad that were eliminated in the round of 16 against the United States. 

"Our team is different now. At the 2019 World Cup, we lacked experience. This time we have a core of players who have won everything with Barça," she said ahead of the elimination rounds.

"When you know each other from the club, it's easier. And since Barça has grown so much, it's logical that the national team improves, too. We have done a lot of physical work at Barça, and we have built a much stronger mentality. Without this, winning the World Cup is impossible."

A path to Ballon d'Or

Bonmati is a baller who provides in weekly fixtures but also doesn't go missing during a big match. She was elite throughout the World Cup and massive in the final, and she has done so for Barcelona as well. During Barca's first Champions League title win against Chelsea in 2021, she was crucial in possession and connectivity, missing only four of her 56 passes and won seven of her 12 duels. 

When Barcelona returned to the Champions League final in 2023, she was essential in turning around a two-goal deficit as the Catalonians won a second title against Wolfsburg as she earned UEFA Women's Champions League Player of the Season with five goals and 11 assists. Her play has even captivated the attention of Pep Guardiola, who recently said in a press conference that she was a player whose style and efforts he was "in love with."

Putellas is the reigning two-time Ballon d'Or winner. But as she's returned to the pitch from her ACL, her role in the World Cup was limited. There will be opportunities to build confidence back up through club play, but it's clear out of international and club play Bonmati is the greatest in the game at this time with her own Ballon d'Or likely around the corner.