Fri Sep 20 11:50:13 UTC 2024: ## Liga F Stagnates While WSL Soars: Bonmatí Calls for Change

**Barcelona and Spain star Aitana Bonmatí has expressed her concern over the lack of progress in the Spanish women’s league, Liga F, urging the league to learn from the Women’s Super League (WSL) in England.**

Despite Spain’s triumph at the 2023 World Cup, Liga F has failed to capitalize on the momentum, leading to several top players, including Bonmatí’s former teammates Laia Codina and Mariona Caldentey, moving to the WSL. Both players have joined Arsenal, citing the superior development and investment in the English league.

Bonmatí, widely considered the best female footballer in the world, has remained loyal to Barcelona, signing a new contract that makes her the highest-paid women’s player globally. However, she emphasizes that her decision is based on her commitment to the club, not the league itself.

“We are stagnating,” Bonmatí told The Athletic. “We are not getting any better. The league does not even have a sponsor; what interest is being put into the league? Who is running the league?”

She urged Liga F to adopt a more humble approach, taking inspiration from the WSL’s success. “We should be more humble and look at how the English leagues do things,” she said. “If those changes do not come then it is a sign of people who run this league not being interested in moving forward.”

Caldentey echoed Bonmatí’s sentiments, highlighting the stark contrast between the two leagues. “When England won the Euros, everyone could see a really big change in the league and we missed [that] in Spain,” she told BBC 5 Live Sport. “We won the World Cup, and it changed nothing, so I think it [the WSL] is right now the best league to play in.”

Codina added, “I really feel that nothing changed in Spain [after winning the World Cup]. Here, you can see that everything is changing; everything is improving. The clubs are spending more money.”

The exodus of Spanish talent to the WSL is a clear indication of the league’s shortcomings. With the upcoming season set to begin, Liga F faces a critical juncture. If it fails to address its shortcomings and adopt a more proactive approach, it risks losing more of its brightest stars and falling further behind its European rivals.

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