After completing a perfect 2023/24 season with Barcelona FC, Spain midfielder Aitana Bonmatí won her second-straight Ballon d’Or award on Monday.

"I always say this is not something that you can do alone," the 26-year-old said, crediting her teammates in her acceptance speech. "I'm so lucky to be surrounded by wonderful players who help me to keep growing into a better player."

Only one other women's footballer has won the award twice: Bonmatí's teammate for club and country, Alexia Putellas, who clocked in 10th in this year's final tally. The two now hold a combined four-year streak in winning soccer's top honor.

The only other recipients in the award's six-year history are USWNT star Megan Rapinoe and Norway's Ada Hegerberg.

It's Barcelona or bust at Ballon d'Or

Barcelona’s 2024 triumphs — winning a historic quadruple of Liga F, Champions League, Supercopa, and Copa de la Reina titles — earned the team Club of the Year honors last night.

That success was mirrored on the individual level, as well. Barça players owned the award's Top 3 spots, with forwards Caroline Graham Hansen and Salma Paralluelo just behind Bonmatí in the final vote.

Olympic gold earns USWNT stalwarts votes

Of the five USWNT players on the Ballon d'Or's 30-athlete shortlist, four landed in the Top 10, buoyed by their gold medal performance at the 2024 Paris Games. USWNT captain Lindsey Horan finished at No. 5 alongside the "Triple Espresso" strike squad of No. 4 Sophia Smith, No. 6 Mal Swanson, and No. 9 Trinity Rodman. 

The lone goalkeeper on the list, USWNT star Alyssa Naeher, came in at No. 17. The Ballon d'Or does not include a separate individual award for women's football's top goalkeeper.

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Meanwhile, USWNT boss Emma Hayes brought home historic hardware of her own.

After leading Chelsea FC to a fifth-straight WSL title before winning Olympic gold with the USWNT, Hayes received the first-ever Women’s Coach of the Year award last night.

"I just want to say a big thank you to all the staff and players from both teams," Hayes said after receiving the inaugural honor.

"Football is a team game and I’m very grateful to have led some amazing teams this year, so this award is for everyone who has been a part of the US team and Chelsea."

Hermoso's advocacy honored

Former Barcelona forward and Spanish national Jenni Hermoso — who now plays for Tigres in Mexico's Liga MX — became the third person and first woman to win the humanitarian Socrates Award in last night's ceremony.

The award recognizes Hermoso's efforts advocating for the advancement of the women's game, equality at all levels of soccer, and her fight against sexual harassment in sports ignited by the nonconsensual kiss from ex-Spanish federation president Luis Rubiales during the 2023 World Cup trophy ceremony.

"Women's football deserves a place for new and future generations," the 34-year-old urged in her speech before imploring further action from the global soccer community.

"I'd like to ask all of you to get together and work together in order to make a better world possible and to make football become what little girls deserve for the future."

Ballon d'Or ceremony spurs conversation about persisting inequities

While the Ballon d'Or has made strides by instituting a women's football award in 2018, the ceremony continues to be fall during a FIFA women's international window. The scheduling makes it near-impossible for many women's football nominees to attend what is arguably the sport's biggest night.

Last night, only a handful of European-based players were able to make the Paris event.

Even more, the Ballon d'Or ballot only honors one individual woman footballer, while the men's night bestows three additional trophies: the Yashin for best goalkeeper, the Gerd Müller for top goalscorer, and the Kopa for best U-21 player. Plus, while 100 journalists vote for the final men's tally, only 50 are tapped to weigh in on the women's award.

Welcome to another episode of Sports Are Fun!

Every week on Sports Are Fun!, co-hosts soccer legend Kelley O'Hara, sports journalist Greydy Diaz, and JWS intern BJ serve up their hottest takes on the biggest women's sports headlines.

This week, the Sports Are Fun! crew is joined by sports reporter, host, and digital creator Aliyah Funschelle. And with a brand new WNBA season tipping of this Friday, the women's pro league and its many basketball superstars naturally dominate the conversation.

"In the sports betting world, Caitlin Clark is a frontrunner for MVP, which I was surprised about," starts O'Hara, referencing the sportsbooks' latest WNBA MVP odds.

"I mean, my thing is last season, she was number seven in total points," says Diaz, clearly not convinced. "She averaged about 19. A'ja Wilson averaged 26. That's a big difference."

"I don't know what clientele is setting these odds," says Funschelle. "I don't think she could be in the running. Maybe most improved? Which is crazy to say but I think Caitlin Clark has another level that she hasn't reached yet."

"Just her having the ability to rest during this offseason and build muscle," Funschelle continues. "I think she has an untapped level. She could really take step up to be like A'ja Wilson or Stewie, one of those big names."

"I saw the pictures of her and I was like, 'She's been putting in that work in the offseason.,'" agrees Diaz.

"People said it was AI!" laughs Funschelle, cracking up her co-hosts. "It was crazy."

In addition to the WNBA, the Sports Are Fun! hosts dive into the unpredictable NWSL weekend, Golden State's mascot auditions, and so much more!

'Sports Are Fun!' debates 2025 WNBA MVP award odds

The Sports Are Fun crew wastes no time in getting into the WNBA MVP conversation, with hosts throwing out potential award winners.

"MVP? I feel like Napheesa [Collier] is going to come out for everything this year," asserts Diaz, nominating the Lynx mainstay and Unrivaled 3×3 co-founder. "She wants it all.

"She wants a title, she wants MVP," O'Hara adds.

"Absolutely," says Diaz. "Given the way her season ended last year and given the way she did so well at Unrivaled, I think she has an incredible momentum and she's only building off of it."

"So for me, it's either she's going to win MVP. Or A'ja Wilson's going to get her fourth MVP," Diaz concludes.

"You don't think anyone else is contending?" asks BJ.

"Nope," says Diaz. Period.

About 'Sports Are Fun!' with Kelley O'Hara

'Sports Are Fun!' is a show that’ll remind you why you fell in love with women's sports in the first place.

Join World Cup champ, Olympic gold medalist, and aspiring barista Kelley O'Hara as she sits down with sports journalist Greydy Diaz and a revolving cast of co-hosts and friends. Together, they're talking the biggest, funnest, and most need-to-know stories in the world of women’s sports.

From on-court drama to off-field shenanigans, to candid (and silly) chats with the most important personalities in the space, this show screams "Sports Are Fun!"

Subscribe to Just Women's Sports on YouTube to never miss an episode.

The 2025 Italian Open keeps rolling in Rome through Saturday's finale, with the tournament seeing tennis titans stumble and a wide open Roland-Garros field emerge ahead of the fast-approaching French Open.

Reigning French Open champion and world No. 2 Iga Świątek fell to world No. 35 US star Danielle Collins in a straight-set upset in Saturday's third round — adding to Świątek's mounting 2025 tournament loss tally.

"I just wasn't there — present, you know — to fight and to compete," Świątek said after the match. "I focused on mistakes, and it's my mistake and I'm not doing things right… I'll try to change that."

Former world No. 1 Naomi Osaka is also focusing ahead on the Paris Grand Slam, after her eight-match winning streak ended in Monday's Round of 16.

A clay specialist with four of the last five French Open titles under her belt, Świątek's recent struggles point to a shifting landscape as the season continues on the tricky surface.

On the other hand, clay title hopes are on the rise for US contender Coco Gauff, whose dominant 6-1, 6-2 Monday victory over 2021 US Open champion Emma Raducanu advanced the world No. 3 star to face No. 7 Mirra Andreeva in the 2025 Italian Open quarterfinals on Wednesday.

Also showing notable consistency is No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, who will face No. 8 Qinwen Zheng in Wednesday's second quarterfinal matchup.

How to watch the 2025 Italian Open

The 2025 Italian Open continues through Saturday, with live coverage on the Tennis Channel.

Just two days after wrapping the 2024/25 Women's Super League (WSL) season on Saturday, the UK women's soccer pyramid scored a full rebrand, with new names and visual identities announced for England's first- and second-tier leagues on Monday.

While the WSL will retain its name, the second-flight Women's Championship will become the WSL2 beginning with the 2025/26 season, bringing both top leagues under the same naming umbrella.

The Women's Professional League Limited — the independent company that took over running the WSL and Women's Championship in August 2024 — is also undergoing a name change, becoming simply WSL Football.

Following a development process with creative agency Anomaly, new visual branding "born from the movement of female footballers" has also rolled out across the leagues, with the WSL adopting an orange colorway while the newly named WSL2 will use a magenta palette.

"As a long-time football fan, having the chance to create the future of women's football is the absolute brief of dreams and a career highlight," said Clara Mulligan, Anomaly's managing parter and head of design.

Along with a new WSL Football website, this summer will see the updated designs from the rebrand incorporated across league merchandise, venues, jerseys, soccer balls, and more before the 2025/26 season kicks off.

"There is a lot more in store over the coming months as we continue to grow the women's game for the future," noted WSL Football chief marketing officer Ruth Hooper.

The Orlando Pride, Washington Spirit, and Gotham FC will represent the NWSL in the upcoming 2025/26 Concacaf W Champions Cup, the confederation announced alongside key details of the tournament's second iteration on Monday.

The top three 2024 NWSL finishers will join three clubs from Mexico's Liga MX, as well as one squad each from Canada, Costa Rica, El Salvador, and Panama in the 10-team group stage, which will run from August 19th through October 16th of this year.

Mirroring the expansive schedule of the 2024/25 inaugural event, the second edition will see its four-match semifinal and final rounds taking place over a single weekend in May 2026.

Meanwhile, this year's battle to become North America's top club team is still ongoing, with Gotham FC qualifying for the 2025/26 competition all while advancing to this month's 2024/25 Concacaf Champions Cup semifinals alongside with fellow NWSL club Portland.

Both May 21st semis are NWSL vs. Liga MX affairs, with the Bats facing Club América before the Thorns take on Tigres UANL in Nuevo León, Mexico.

The semifinal victors will battle for the first-ever Concacaf Champions Cup on May 24th, with the winner earning both confederation bragging rights and automatic qualification into FIFA's 2026 Champions Cup and 2028 Club World Cup.

As interest in the women's game grows around the world, FIFA is looking to capitalize on the demand by launching new regional competitions — while also adding to an increasingly crowded schedule for some of its most successful teams.

How to watch the Concacaf W Champions Cup semifinals

Gotham FC will kick off the 2024/25 Champions Cup semis against Club América at 7:30 PM ET on Wednesday, May 21st, with Portland's clash with the Tigres immediately following at 10:30 PM ET.

Both semifinals will stream live on Paramount+.