Spain midfielder Aitana Bonmati, the two-time Ballon d’Or holder, has been hospitalised with viral meningitis less than a week before the Women’s European football championship begins.
Spain coach Montse Tome said late on Friday that her star player had felt ill and was taken to a hospital in Madrid where she tested positive for meningitis.
Spain’s team is set to travel to Switzerland on Sunday for the tournament. Its first game is against Portugal on Thursday in Bern. It will also face Belgium and Italy in Group B at Euro 2025.
“Aitana is a very important player for us and we will wait for her,” Tome said after Bonmati missed Friday’s friendly against Japan in the Spanish capital when Spain beat the visitors 3-1.
Tome said that Bonmati started feeling bad with a fever during practice early on Friday.
“She has authorised me to say that she has viral meningitis,” Tome said. “The word is scary, but the doctor tells me that she is under control. She will remain in the hospital and we don’t know for how long.”
The 27-year-old Bonmati has won the top individual award for women for the past two years. The Barcelona player was key in Spain winning the 2023 Women’s World Cup.
Bonmati’s vision, dribbling skills, passing and goals have also been vital to Barcelona reaching five consecutive Champions League finals, with the Catalan club winning three titles.
Her absence would put more pressure on Alexia Putellas, herself a two-time Ballon d’Or winner, and fellow Barcelona midfielder Patricia Guijarro, to lead Spain. Against Japan, Tome started 18-year-old Vicky Lopez in place of Bonmati.
Three years ago, Putellas tore her ACL three days before starting the 2022 European Championship. Spain was eliminated in the quarterfinals without its then-top player.
Spain should still be favoured in its opener against Portugal, a team it beat twice in April – including a 7-1 home victory – in the Nations League.
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