Spain, Barcelona star Bonmatí: World Cup win was ‘for nothing’،
Aitana Bonmatí said Spain's victory at the 2023 Women's World Cup was “for nothing” as little has changed in the infrastructure of women's football in the country.
Bonmatí, winner of the Women's Ballon d'Or and FIFA The Best Women's award, told French media outlet L'Equipe she was jealous of the England women's team after the response to the Lionesses' triumph at the European Championships in 2022.
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“Unfortunately, I can't say that much has changed,” Bonmatí said when asked about the impact of the World Cup victory. “We have the example of the English: when they won the Euro, we saw a big change after the success at national level.
“There have been repercussions. Investment in the national championship, full stadiums when England play. It makes me want it because I can't say it's the same here. [in Spain]. There is still so much to do here and I feel like the World Cup was for nothing.”
Bonmatí listed a number of elements that require improvement in order to bring greater equality to football in Spain.
“It all starts with doing things right, promoting the matches correctly, wanting to organize them in the right stadiums, not changing the pitch a week before the match because that makes everything more complicated for the fans,” said the 26-year-old. years. said.
“Also promote the league. In the country in general it is not at the level we deserve.”
Bonmatí, who plays with her club Barcelona in Liga F, then cited the example of the women's Nations League final against France on Wednesday as a demonstration of the failure to truly promote women's football.
“We were supposed to play in Cádiz and finally we changed venue to play at La Cartuja [in Seville]. That wouldn’t happen to the men’s team in a Nations League final,” she said.
“We have to pay attention to these details. When we do these things well, people respond.”
Spain qualified for the Olympic Games for the first time in its history by winning its Nations League semi-final against the Netherlands on Friday.
