Football: Analysis-Soccer-Bonmati shines as puppet master to fire Spain into World Cup quarters

(Reuters) – If Spain had not resolved the bitter feud between the players and the coach, their fans may never have witnessed midfielder Aitana Bonmati expertly pulling all strings to guide them to the Women’s World Cup quarter-finals for the first time.

Bonmati was one of 15 players that had threatened to quit the team last year if Jorge Vilda was not fired but the football federation refused to bow down to pressure. But after a brief exile, Bonmati was called up following an uneasy truce.

Vilda had given Bonmati her Spain debut back in 2017 when she was 19 and she has since grown to become an integral cog in midfield, a diminutive dynamo constantly on the move and with a sharp eye for goal.

Playing for treble winners Barcelona, Bonmati is not used to losing and the 25-year-old was “really pissed off” when Spain lost 4-0 in their final group game against Japan without putting up a fight, finishing second in the group.

“I am not a player who is used to losing like this… This will unite us more than ever. I am a player that in tough moments, my character shines through even more,” Bonmati said.

She clearly took that loss personally as Spain arrived fired up for Saturday’s match against Switzerland.

Bonmati may not be Spain’s captain, but there was no doubt she was leading the charge in the final third with her magical feet, scoring twice in a 5-1 win to take her tournament tally to three goals.

“I think it’s in my character to act (like a leader). Even though I don’t have the captain’s armband I transmit that character to the team,” she said after picking up another player of the match award at the World Cup.

“When I have the ball at my feet I always look to help my teammates… We’re very happy and we should be proud of the work we’ve done today.”

WRONG-FOOTED

Bonmati opened the scoring in the fifth minute when she pounced on a rebound, wrong-footed the goalkeeper with a swift turn and fired home, vindication and delight writ large on her face.

Half an hour later, she grabbed her second — almost a carbon copy of the first as she left Swiss players befuddled.

A quick flick in the box saw two defenders over-commit as she turned them inside out while the goalkeeper was sent the wrong way for Bonmati to fire into an open net.

It comes as no surprise that her close-quarter dribbling and sublime passing ability to create chances earned her comparisons with Spain and Barca great Andres Iniesta.

For Bonmati, there is no higher praise as she shines a spotlight on the ‘Barca Way’ having watched her idol while growing up, eyes glued to the TV “with my mouth open” as Pep Guardiola’s team conquered Spain, Europe and finally the world.

“I’m so proud when people compare me to Iniesta, what a player. They were the two I watched: Xavi and Iniesta,” she told FIFA in an interview earlier this week.

“They played the game in a way that I try and emulate. It was lovely football to watch, fun and beautiful.”

(Reporting by Rohith Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore)