Alexia Putellas vs Aitana Bonmatí: How Do They Compare?
They share a midfield, a national team, a city, and five of the last five Ballon d’Or Féminin trophies between them. No two players in women’s football get compared more often than Alexia Putellas and Aitana Bonmatí — teammates at Barcelona and Spain, both Catalan, both central midfielders, and both holders of the sport’s biggest individual prize.
But physically they’re not remotely alike. Putellas is tall, long-limbed, and plays with a stride that eats ground. Bonmatí is one of the smallest players on the pitch in most matches she starts. The contrast is part of why they work so well together.
Image: Pedro J Pacheco / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Putellas, born in 1994 in Mollet del Vallès, is the elder of the two by four years. She’s Barcelona’s captain and the club’s all-time leading scorer on the women’s side. Bonmatí, born 1998 in Sant Pere de Ribes, came up through Barcelona’s academy and broke into the first team in 2016 — initially in Putellas’s shadow, then very much out of it.
Image: Barcex / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Side-by-Side Stats
| Stat | Alexia Putellas | Aitana Bonmatí |
|---|---|---|
| Height | 5 ft 8 in (173 cm) | 5 ft 3 in (160 cm) |
| Weight | About 137 lbs (62 kg) | About 115 lbs (52 kg) |
| Age | 31 | 27 |
| Date of Birth | February 4, 1994 | January 18, 1998 |
| Build | Tall, lean, long-legged athletic | Compact, low center of gravity, wiry |
| Eye Color | Dark Brown | Dark Brown |
| Hair Color | Dark Brown | Dark Brown |
| Net Worth | Estimated $5 million | Estimated $4 million |
Net worth figures are media estimates and haven’t been confirmed by either player.
Height Comparison
Stand them next to each other and the gap is obvious — 13 cm, or about five inches. In the team photos Spain and Barcelona put out, Putellas is almost always back row. Bonmatí is almost always front, crouched, at the end of a line.
Context: the average adult woman in Spain is around 5 ft 4 in. Putellas is four inches above that and genuinely tall for a central midfielder in the women’s game. Bonmatí sits an inch below average — and she’s shorter than most of her direct opponents in the Champions League.
That height difference shows up in how they play. Putellas is a real aerial threat from set pieces and wins duels with her frame. Bonmatí almost never contests a header; she wins the ball back by anticipating passes and getting underneath people. Her low center of gravity is the whole point — she turns in tight spaces that taller midfielders simply can’t.
Career Comparison
Putellas was first. She joined Barcelona’s academy as a kid, left, played for Espanyol and Levante, then returned to Barcelona in 2012 and never left. She won back-to-back Ballon d’Or Féminin awards in 2021 and 2022, plus the FIFA Best Women’s Player award in 2022 and consecutive UEFA Women’s Player of the Year honors. She was Barcelona’s leader during their first Champions League triumph in 2021.
Then came July 2022 — an ACL tear in training days before Euro 2022, on the eve of a tournament she was favorite to dominate. She missed about 10 months. She came back, won the 2023 World Cup with Spain (mostly off the bench), and has since rebuilt herself into a starter again. She lifted Champions League trophies in 2023 and 2024 and remains Barcelona’s captain.
Bonmatí’s rise filled the gap. She was the best player at the 2023 World Cup, taking the Golden Ball, then won the Ballon d’Or Féminin in 2023, 2024 and again in 2025 — three in a row. She’s also picked up FIFA Best awards and UEFA Player of the Year honors. In 2025 she led Spain to the Euro final, where they lost to England on penalties, having recovered from a bout of viral meningitis just weeks before the tournament started.
Fitness and Body Approach
Putellas’s training changed completely after the ACL injury. Her rehab was built around single-leg strength work, hamstring loading, and gradual return-to-run protocols under Barcelona’s medical staff. Even now, a big chunk of her gym work is preventative — posterior chain strength, glute activation, landing mechanics. She’s spoken publicly about how mentally brutal the comeback was, and about being honest with herself that she wouldn’t be the identical player she was in 2021.
She fuels like a high-volume midfielder: carb-forward around matches, lots of protein, and a nutrition plan that Barcelona’s performance department individualizes. She’s not visibly muscular in the bodybuilder sense — she’s lean and long, built for repeated sprints over 90 minutes.
Bonmatí’s work is different. Because she’s small and gets kicked constantly, her program leans heavily on core stability, hip mobility, and balance work so she can absorb contact and stay upright. She’s described herself as someone who was told she was too small to make it, and she responded by getting technically flawless rather than bulking up. The physique she carries now is wiry rather than powerful — minimal body fat, strong legs, nothing superfluous.
Both are vocal about recovery. Sleep, physio, and load management matter more to them than extra gym sessions, especially given how packed the women’s calendar has become.
Key Differences
- Putellas is 5 ft 8 in; Bonmatí is 5 ft 3 in — a five-inch gap.
- About 22 lbs separates them in playing weight.
- Putellas is four years older, born February 1994 vs January 1998.
- Putellas has two Ballon d’Or Féminin wins (2021, 2022); Bonmatí has three straight (2023, 2024, 2025).
- Putellas is Barcelona’s all-time leading women’s scorer; Bonmatí is more a creator than a finisher.
- Putellas’s career includes a major ACL setback; Bonmatí’s biggest health scare was viral meningitis in 2025.
- Putellas spent time at Espanyol and Levante; Bonmatí has played only for Barcelona at senior level.
- Putellas wears the captain’s armband at Barcelona; Bonmatí is the team’s creative engine.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is taller, Alexia Putellas or Aitana Bonmatí?
Alexia Putellas is taller at 5 ft 8 in (173 cm), compared with Aitana Bonmatí at 5 ft 3 in (160 cm).
What is the height difference between Putellas and Bonmatí?
The gap is about 13 cm, or roughly 5 inches. Putellas is four inches above the average height for women in Spain, while Bonmatí sits about an inch below it.
Who weighs more, Alexia Putellas or Aitana Bonmatí?
Putellas weighs more at around 137 lbs (62 kg), while Bonmatí is listed at about 115 lbs (52 kg) — a difference of roughly 22 lbs.
Who is older, Alexia Putellas or Aitana Bonmatí?
Putellas is older by four years. She was born February 4, 1994 (age 31), while Bonmatí was born January 18, 1998 (age 27).
Who has a higher net worth, Putellas or Bonmatí?
Putellas is estimated at around $5 million and Bonmatí at around $4 million. Both figures are media estimates and have not been confirmed by either player.
How does their height affect the way they play?
Putellas uses her 5 ft 8 in frame as an aerial threat on set pieces and in duels, while Bonmatí’s low center of gravity lets her turn in tight spaces and win the ball by anticipation rather than headers.
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Last Updated: October 28, 2026 | Source: Healthy Celeb
