“On match day, I feel joy but also a bit of anxiety, and music helps me energize my body, freeing me from pre-game nerves,” Barbara Bonansea tells Apple Music. “On game day, the music I love the most is reggaetón because it expresses joy, fun, and freedom, exactly the feelings I experience before and during the match [‘DtMF’ by Bad Bunny] has a beautiful melody that is perfect for moments when I feel a bit challenged. I listen to it because it makes me happy. I can’t help but sing or dance along to every part of the song. The chorus, in particular, reminds me that every moment I am living is a blessing. That’s why I listen to it before matches it helps me remember how amazing what I’m doing is and how lucky I am.” Although reggaetón is the focus during the crucial hours before a match, the Italy forward has picked an intriguingly broad motivational playlist here, featuring Pearl Jam at their folkiest, vibrant R&B from Jason Derulo, the country pop of John Denver and dance-floor heaters from Lost Frequencies and Swedish House Mafia. “[SHM’s ‘Calling On / Kidsos (Live from Paris)’] is my song of the year [2025],” she says. “I will always remember the 2024/2025 season because of this song. I listen to it before every match, and I can feel the energy flowing into my body. Just hearing the first three notes is enough to make me feel ready to play.” The reason for such an eclectic mix is that music serves so many purposes in Bonansea’s life. “Music can answer to a lot of questions or moments,” she says. “I can sit and listen to music knowing that it can fit every moment, giving sense to my questions. If I’m happy, it raises my emotions. If I’m sad, I can find in it some right words to feel understood.”