SPAIN playmaker Aitana Bonmati cut a disconsolate figure as she picked up her Player of the Tournament award at Euro 2025 on Sunday, minutes after her side finished as runners-up after losing a penalty shootout to England in the final.
Bonmati bounced back from a meningitis scare ahead of the tournament to play a crucial role in Spain’s progress to the final.
However, on Sunday Spain struggled to unlock the England defence and Bonmati missed her spot-kick in the shootout as she slumped to another painful defeat following her club side Barcelona’s Champions League final loss to Arsenal in May.
“It’s hard to see you right now,“ she told reporters. “Two months ago I found myself in this situation with the club. You have to value more when things are going well, we have been better on the pitch, not on penalties,“ she said.
The 27-year-old apologised to the Spanish people for not being able to deliver a victory against an England side that was no match for them in terms of skill, but who refused to give up.
“I assume my part of my responsibility, I play for the team and for many more people. There is no point in playing a better game and missing penalties,“ she said.
“For me, England is a team capable of not playing well and winning. There are teams that don’t need much to win.”
England took the chance they were offered and though Spain found themselves on the losing side, Bonmati was philosophical.
“We haven’t lost a game (in 90 minutes), we have received support and I feel bad about that too. We have won off the field of play and that is valuable too,“ she explained, before promising to come back stronger.
“We are a trained team, we have already shown that we know how to overcome. We hope to reach (Euro) 2029 at full capacity and try again.” – REUTERS
