Spain midfielder Alexia Putellas has won the Ballon d’Or Feminin for a record-equalling third time, keeping the prize in Spanish hands for a sixth consecutive year. Putellas captained Barcelona to Champions League glory during a quadruple-winning 2025-26 season before transferring to Women’s Super League side London City Lionesses in July.
Extending Spanish Dominance
The 32-year-old joins Spain teammate Aitana Bonmati on three Ballon d’Or Feminin crowns. Bonmati claimed the award in 2023, 2024, and 2025 following Putellas’ consecutive wins in 2021 and 2022. Over the past six years, only Norway’s Ada Hegerberg in 2018 and American player Megan Rapinoe in 2019 have interrupted the Spanish streak.
Putellas earned the most votes from an international panel of journalists representing Fifa’s top-50 ranked countries. Barcelona striker Ewa Pajor finished in second place, while Manchester City forward Khadija Shaw placed third. Meanwhile, England captain Harry Kane secured the men’s Ballon d’Or, marking the first time an English player won the honor since Michael Owen in 2001.
Accepting the honor, Putellas addressed aspiring players globally, encouraging them to pursue the sport regardless of their background or gender. “All the boys and girls around the world – if you love football and if you want to play football, play football. It doesn’t matter if you’re a boy or if you’re a girl,” Putellas stated, adding that people should ignore naysayers and believe in themselves.
Elite Statistics and Playing Style
Nicknamed ‘La Reina’ – meaning the queen – Putellas netted 21 goals and provided 13 assists across all competitions last season. Seven of those goals came in the Women’s Champions League as Barcelona captured their fourth continental title in six seasons. Her overall attacking contributions in Liga F included finishing joint-sixth for assists with seven and fourth for open-play chances created with 40.
Throughout the campaign, Putellas created 89 chances, featuring 19 big chances, and completed 965 passes ending in the final third. These figures surpassed every other player across Liga F, the Champions League, Copa de la Reina, and Supercopa de Espana. Additionally, she created 36 chances in the Champions League, matching Bayern Munich player Klara Buhl for the highest tally in a single tournament edition since Caroline Graham Hansen in 2021-22.
Journey to the Top
Raised in Mollet del Valles, roughly 12 miles north-east of Barcelona, Putellas started playing street football before becoming a regular supporter at Camp Nou. Inspired by Andres Iniesta, Rivaldo, and Ronaldinho, she spent time at Barcelona’s youth academy, La Masia, following stints at local clubs and summer camps. After playing for Espanyol and Levante due to the disbandment of her girls’ team, she returned to Barcelona in 2012.
Over a 14-year tenure with her childhood club, she collected 38 trophies, including 10 league titles and four European cups. Her career faced a major hurdle when she sustained an anterior cruciate ligament injury right before Euro 2022. Although she secured her second Ballon d’Or later that year, regaining her peak form took time, resulting in a limited role during Spain’s 2023 World Cup victory.
During the 2025-26 season, Putellas shouldered significant creative responsibilities while teammate Aitana Bonmati recovered from a five-month injury absence. She subsequently scored twice in a 4-0 victory over England in June, securing Spain’s place at the 2027 World Cup at the expense of the Lionesses. Approaching the end of her Barcelona contract, she evaluated several international offers before committing to Michelle Kang’s project at London City Lionesses.
Reflecting on her career moves in an interview with BBC’s Women’s Football Weekly podcast, Putellas explained her motivation for continuous growth. “I’m just always looking forward to better things and that’s why I’m here too, because I always need to be moving as a person and a player,” she told the podcast, having already recorded three goals and one assist in seven WSL matches for her new club.
