Meet the Lionesses' greatest threat to Euros glory: Just THREE WEEKS after being hospitalised with rare illness, Spain's Aitana Bonmati is set to terrorise England in the final

Three weeks ago, Aitana Bonmati was sharing a photo from a hospital bed in Madrid – her arm strapped to a cannula, a television in the background showing her teammates putting three goals past Japan in a friendly match.

At 27, Bonmati has cemented her place as one of the most prominent figures in the modern game. She was widely expected to be central to her team's campaign and a defining face of the tournament. So when reports surfaced that the star forward of the world’s top-ranked side was battling viral meningitis on the eve of the competition, the news sent shockwaves through the footballing community – and cast immediate doubt over her country’s title hopes.

As one passenger on a train from Waterloo was overheard remarking at the time, ‘I hope she gets better as soon as possible because she’s a brilliant player… but for England’s chances perhaps she can get back to her best after the final.’

Had that man been relying on a magic eight ball, he’d have been only half right. England are indeed heading to Sunday’s final to face the reigning world champions, Spain. But – and this is said light-heartedly, because it’s wonderful that the world’s best player is healthy and safe – Bonmati is back to her terrifying best.

Six days after posting that photo, Bonmati returned to the pitch, coming on as a substitute in Spain’s opening group-stage match against Portugal – a 6-0 demolition of their neighbours.

And last night, it was her goal alone, in the 113th minute, that finally broke Germany’s resistance and made history, sending Spain to their first ever Euros final.

Reflecting on her climb back from that hospital bed, Bonmati said on Wednesday: ‘I was confident in my mentality and my physical situation. I wanted to get to this game at my best level.’

As for the winning goal, many were quick to debate whether it was a moment of genius or a fortunate mishit. But one player who understands Bonmati’s game better than most is England midfielder Keira Walsh. The pair spent two-and-a-half years together at Barcelona, forging a close bond both on and off the pitch.

So when Bonmati struck the decisive extra-time winner – beating Germany’s Ann-Katrin Berger at her near post – Walsh was quick to dismiss any suggestion that it was an accidental mishit.

‘It was Bonmati magic (based on) the way she let the ball go through,’ Walsh said. ‘Most players in that position wouldn’t even think about shooting, they would automatically cross.

‘But I’ve played with Aitana a lot and I know that she’s always thinking about things that other players don’t. She’ll have looked where the keeper was and tried to place it.’

A casual observer unfamiliar with Spain’s exceptional squad might first notice the explosive brilliance of Alexia Putellas – resurgent and dazzling once again this tournament – or the world-class, line-breaking passes of Patri, before recognising the subtle, almost imperceptible genius of Bonmati.

But that’s part of the brilliance of the two-time Ballon d’Or winner: her uncanny ability to read the game, interpret its most inscrutable passages, and find the smallest gaps through even the tightest lines.

Much of that stems from her development at Barcelona’s legendary La Masia academy. Bonmati’s style is quintessentially Barcelona – built on patience, collective movement, and intricate passing. The tiki-taka philosophy that Pep Guardiola brought to English football and which has since transformed the entire pyramid.

Bonmati says she owes a lot to the Spanish coach’s footballing vision and the respect is mutual, with Guardiola saying of the No 6: ‘I have completely fallen in love with the way she plays football. I would say she reminds me of a female Iniesta during his time at Barcelona.’

Bonmati’s deep understanding and love of the game were on full display in a recent interview, in which she broke down the tactical brilliance behind the goal that defeated England in the 2023 World Cup final.

But first, she made one thing clear: everything starts with communication.

‘My dad tells me I look like a cop because I’m like this all the time (gesturing around with a pointed finger),’ she said. 

‘It is always said that good communication in a team – not only verbal but also using your body language because you can’t talk the whole time – is good, and I play like a police officer.’

She then described how she had noticed Lucy Bronze drifting into the centre of the pitch.

‘I try to get her to go back the same way – to not allow her to continue in the direction where they could outnumber us – or to find the only unmarked player behind us, Ella Toone.’

Bonmati won the ball back from Bronze and quickly passed to Teresa Abelleira, who switched the play out to Mariona Caldentey on the left. Caldentey waited for Olga Carmona to overlap, who then seized the moment, firing past Mary Earps to give Spain the lead – ultimately the decisive goal.

The way Bonmati deconstructs every moment, every decision, reveals a footballing brain operating in overdrive. She is, unmistakably, the daughter of two passionate educators – as both her parents are.

And England will need to put their heads together to find a way to stop football’s brightest talent this weekend – or risk suffering the same fate as two years ago.