Aitana Bonmati explains why players 'have to keep fighting' - 'There is still a lot to improve'

World Cup-winning midfielder Aitana Bonmati believes there is “still a lot to improve” in regards to how female footballers are treated, despite some steps forward.

Bonmati, 25, was speaking to BBC World Service about gender equality and the Barcelona midfielder, who is widely tipped to win the Ballon d’Or this year, said that there was still work to do.

She admitted that there have been a lot of positive changes over the past few years, but things are still a long way off being equal, or even at a point where the women’s game is truly professional.

"Yes, of course, [over] the past years we had a lot of changes but there is still a lot to improve," she said.

"We are always building for equality to have good conditions, to be treated as professional footballers.

"I would like to keep fighting because I would like the next generation to have a better life than we have today, and I think past generations fought for us to have a better life today."

Bonmati will play alongside Jenni Hermoso in the upcoming Nations League games after the Pachuca forward made her return to the national team for the first time since the World Cup final.

After Spain’s 1-0 triumph over England, ex-RFEF president Luis Rubiales kissed Hermoso, which she said later was not consensual.

Hermoso and her team-mates released a statement in August saying they would not play for the national team while Rubiales was in charge.

In September, she filed a legal complaint over the kiss.

Rubiales initially refused to resign but was provisionally suspended by FIFA pending investigation and then later did resign.

Then-manager of the team Jorge Vilda was also fired in the fallout with one of his assistants, Montse Tome taking over.

Tome said on Wednesday that there was never any issue between her and Hermoso.

"In the last call I explained why she wasn't there, but after the camp we got in touch. Maybe that opened the door to speculation, but at the time there was no problem with her. We didn't call her up because we thought it was the best thing for her.

"I have noticed her improvement. We are excited to see her, for her to return to training and to start thinking about the future as our goal is to be in the Olympic Games."

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