The Spanish women's national team is facing a setback just days before the start of the Euro 2025 tournament as star midfielder Aitana Bonmatí has been hospitalized with viral meningitis. The news was confirmed by Spain's head coach, Montse Tomé, following the team's 3-1 victory over Japan in a friendly match in Leganés on Friday.
Bonmatí, who has won the Ballon d'Or for the last two years and was also named FIFA Women's Player of the Year for 2023 and 2024, is a crucial player for the Spanish squad. The 27-year-old was unable to train on Thursday due to a fever, and her condition did not improve. Further tests revealed the diagnosis of viral meningitis, an inflammation of the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord.
"Aitana could not participate in the last training session because she had a slight fever and her condition did not improve during the day," Tomé said in a press conference. "The doctor sent her for tests. Initially, everything seemed fine, but the final results showed that she had viral meningitis. Meningitis sounds scary, but the situation is under control now, although we don't know the exact recovery time".
According to the NHS, viral meningitis tends to get better on its own within seven to 10 days. However, the Spanish team is unsure when Bonmatí will be discharged from the hospital. "Aitana will be admitted and there are no deadlines yet to know for how long she will be absent," Tomé said.
Despite the uncertainty, Tomé expressed optimism and support for her key player. "The doctors say that it is controlled. Talking about meningitis can be scary but it is controlled," Tomé told reporters. "Aitana, for us, is a very important player. We'll wait for her as long as we can". Bonmatí also shared a picture of herself watching the match against Japan from a hospital bed on her Instagram story.
Bonmatí's absence would be a significant blow to Spain's chances in the Euro 2025 tournament. She has scored 30 goals for Spain in 78 appearances and played a key role in the team's recent successes, including their victory at the 2023 Women's World Cup and the UEFA Women's Nations League last year. In the match against Japan, Bonmatí was replaced by young Vicky López, who delivered a great performance.
Spain is in Group B of the Euro 2025 tournament, along with Portugal, Belgium, and Italy. They will begin their campaign against Portugal on July 3. The team will be based in Lausanne, Switzerland, during the group stage, with relatively little travel between matches. Spain has never reached the final of the Women's European Championship, with their best result being a semi-final appearance in 1997.
The Spanish squad began their pre-tournament preparation training camp on June 19. The team is aiming to win their first European Championship. However, Bonmatí's illness has added an unexpected challenge to their preparations.
Coach Tomé will have to make a difficult decision about whether to include Bonmatí in the final squad for the tournament, given the uncertainty surrounding her recovery. "We need to be patient," Tomé said. "Aitana is incredibly important to us; we will wait for her until the very end".
