I heard people raving about Aitana Bonmatí’s skills, how smooth her ball control is and how she moves differently. I was curious, you know? Could some specific practice routines actually make me play better? Decided to test it myself and write it all down. Here’s exactly what I did.
Digging Up Bonmatí’s Training Secrets
First thing, I sat at my desk scouring old interviews and clips. Needed to find concrete stuff she actually does, not just vague tips. Found a few key points everyone kept repeating:
- Close control drills on uneven surfaces – She grew up playing on bumpy pitches apparently.
- One-touch passing with both feet constantly – No standing around.
- Sharp 180° turns under pressure – Like defenders are breathing down her neck.
Okay, seemed specific enough to try. Grabbed my gear and headed to the local park – figured the rougher grass patch near the trees would be perfect.
Attempting Day One: Reality Check
Man, it was humbling. Set up two cones super close together like a tight channel. Tried to dribble through using only the outside of both feet, quick little touches – Bonmatí style. First attempt? The ball rolled over my foot and I nearly tripped. Embarrassing.
Kept at it, focusing on keeping my head up like she does. Way harder than it looks! The uneven ground meant every bounce was unpredictable. Touches felt clumsy. After 20 minutes, my ankles were aching and the ball was constantly escaping.
Sticking With It (Mostly)
Honestly almost quit. But I figured I owed it to the experiment to give it a few weeks. Went back Tuesday and Thursday. Switched the drill: played short passes hard against a brick wall, forcing one touch returns with alternating feet. Left foot felt like a brick. The ball pinged off at crazy angles.
Biggest struggle was the turn. Tried stopping dead from a jog and whipping around backwards in one move. My knees protested loudly. Felt slow and awkward, not sharp.
Small Wins After The Grind
After like, 8 sessions? Something clicked. Maybe muscle memory. The close control between the cones started getting… smoother. Still lost it sometimes, but way less. Even started feeling comfortable taking my eyes off the ball for half a second to glance up.
The wall passing started connecting cleaner. Left foot still weaker, but I wasn’t shanking it ten feet wide every time. One afternoon, practicing turns as the rain made the ground slick, I actually pulled off a couple quick spins without falling over. Felt genuinely surprised.
My Honest Take On Bonmatí’s Methods
It’s not magic, obviously. Zero chance I’ll ever play like her. But focusing intensely on those specific mechanics did make little improvements:
- My close dribble in tight spaces feels less panicky.
- Passing accuracy with my weak foot slightly better.
- Turning feels more controlled, quicker.
Key takeaway? It works because it forces you outside your comfort zone constantly – bad surfaces, pressure, weak foot. It’s repetitive and kinda boring, honestly. But pushing through the initial suck does bring results. It showed me where I was weak. Worth the effort, even if I grumbled the whole time.
