adidas premieres new episode of docuseries featuring Ballon d’Or winner Aitana Bonmat told by her best friend Maria Rodriguez

• Told through the friendship between Aitana Bonmatí and Maria Rodriguez, the episode offers intimate insight into the power of community and belonging in Aitana’s journey
• Rooted in the universal truth that everyone needs someone to help make them believe You Got This, the film continues the brand’s new docuseries, which comes as part of its ongoing mission to disarm negative pressure in sport
• The episode is available to watch now on adidas’ YouTube channel and will stream simultaneously across a number of social channels

Today, adidas premieres the second episode of its new four-part docuseries, Illuminated, featuring Ballon d’Or winner Aitana Bonmatí, alongside one of her closest friends, Maria Rodriguez.

A story rooted in community and belonging, the documentary provides viewers with up close and personal access to Aitana’s mindset and determination, and the ways her community have underpinned this. Growing up alongside each other as neighbours, classmates and friends in the small Catalonian neighbourhood of Sant Pere de Ribes, the episode highlights the role Rodriguez played in Aitana’s story to date.

With insights from both Aitana and Maria, the episode captures the value of support through the highs of winning the Women’s World Cup and the Ballon d’Or, but also amidst the hard-graft and adversity of elite football. During a time where Aitana considered quitting the sport all together, Rodriguez emphasises the simple power of friendship and encouragement in carrying her through.

Directed by David Terry Fine (Untold: Netflix and ESPN: 30 for 30) and Stanley Brock (Road to Kampala: Copa 90 and Hanna), it combines archival footage from Aitana’s remarkable career with conversations and interactions from her childhood neighbourhood – the best friends touch on compelling topics such as pressure, and the shifting dynamics of the women’s game as it grows. However, amidst these challenges the episode illustrates Aitana’s innate passion to spearhead change, and the way she continues to stay connected to her community as her platform grows.

During the episode Maria Rodriguez commented on the positive impact Aitana has on the people around her: “I’ve always thought how fortunate it is that someone like you, with your values, has the opportunity to have a platform. If I could choose who could impact people, girls or society in general, you are clearly amazing for that. The way you think, everything you’ve fought for. Whenever you see a chance to improve society, you take it.”

Reflecting on the impact of her relationship with Maria Rodriguez, Aitana Bonmatí, said: “My community has been so vital to me on this journey and Maria is such an important part of that. We’ve known each other since kindergarten and been neighbours almost our whole lives. She has been there for me through my toughest moments and also for the greatest – ahead of every match or international tournament she continues to help me believe, no matter the challenge in front of me.”

The episode is streaming on adidas’ YouTube channel and simultaneously across a number of social channels. The livestream allows viewers to interact in real time via comments, trivia and giveaways within one broadcast across Instagram, X, Facebook and YouTube. Further episodes featuring Rebeca Andrade and Mikaela Shiffrin will be released during the year.