Alexia Putellas Wins Record-Equalling Third Ballon d'Or

Spain midfielder Alexia Putellas won the Ballon d'Or Feminin for a record-equalling third time, ensuring that the prize stayed in Spanish hands for a sixth consecutive year. Putellas, 32, captained Barcelona to Champions League glory as part of a quadruple in 2025-26, before she joined Women's Super League (WSL) side London City Lionesses in July. She joins Spain team-mate Aitana Bonmati with three Ballon d'Or Feminin crowns; Bonmati won the award in 2023, 2024, and 2025 after Putellas secured it in 2021 and 2022.

The past six Ballons d'Or have been claimed by this Spanish duo, with only Norway's Ada Hegerberg (2018) and Megan Rapinoe of the United States (2019) managing to win the prize during this span. Putellas' latest victory marked a remarkable return to top-level football following a career-threatening anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury in 2022. "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 expressed. "It doesn’t matter where you come from. Don’t listen if someone tells you, you can’t do it. Believe in yourself."

She obtained the most votes from an international panel of journalists within FIFA's top-50 ranked countries, with Barcelona striker Ewa Pajor finishing second, and Manchester City forward Khadija Shaw coming in third.

Simultaneously, England captain Harry Kane claimed the men's Ballon d'Or, becoming the first English player to do so since Michael Owen in 2001. While FC Barcelona is typically favored to win competitions in Spain, Putellas' performance last season underscored her standing among the world's elite. Nicknamed 'La Reina', Putellas amassed 21 goals and provided 13 assists across all competitions, ranking her among Europe's top five leagues' best performers.

In total, she scored seven goals in the Women’s Champions League, helping Barcelona secure a fourth continental title in six seasons. Only strikers Pernille Harder, Alessia Russo, and Ewa Pajor scored more goals in the tournament. Her contributions spanned beyond just scoring; in La Liga, she concluded joint-sixth in assists and fourth in open-play chances created.

Putellas initiated her career in her hometown of Mollet del Valles and became a Barcelona fan early on, influenced by players like Andrés Iniesta and Ronaldinho. A serious setback occurred when she tore her ACL right before Euro 2022, sidelining her from the tournament. Despite this, she retained the Ballon d'Or later that year and contributed significantly to her team's successes in subsequent seasons.

In June, she played a pivotal role in securing Spain's spot for the 2027 World Cup and finally decided to transfer to London City Lionesses after a successful 14-year stint at Barcelona, where she won 38 trophies including 10 league titles and four European cups.