Putellas wins third Ballon d'Or Feminin, equalling the record

Spain midfielder Alexia Putellas, 32, has won the Ballon d'Or Féminin, the leading individual award in women's football, for the third time, equalling the record. She joined London City Lionesses of England's Women's Super League (WSL) in July. The prize has now stayed with Spanish players for six consecutive years.

Putellas captained Barcelona to the Champions League title in 2025-26, part of a quadruple of trophies. She also won the award in 2021 and 2022. Her Spain team-mate Aitana Bonmati has three as well, from 2023, 2024 and 2025. Before the Spanish pair's run, the only other winners in recent years were Norway's Ada Hegerberg (2018) and Megan Rapinoe of the United States (2019).

Putellas received the most votes from an international panel of journalists from the countries ranked in Fifa's top 50. Barcelona striker Ewa Pajor was second and Manchester City forward Khadija Shaw third. The men's Ballon d'Or went to England captain Harry Kane, the first English player to win it since Michael Owen in 2001.

Season in numbers

Putellas scored 21 goals and made 13 assists in all competitions, which put her third and second respectively among players in Europe's top five leagues. Seven of the goals came in the Women's Champions League, where Barcelona won a fourth continental title in six seasons. In Liga F, which Barcelona won for a seventh straight season, she registered seven assists.

Career and comeback

Putellas grew up in Mollet del Vallès, a Catalan municipality about 12 miles north-east of Barcelona. She spent 14 years with Barcelona, winning 38 trophies, including 10 league titles and four European cups. In 2022 she suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury on the eve of Euro 2022, which ruled her out of the tournament.

In June, Spain beat England 4-0, with Putellas scoring twice, to secure a place at the 2027 World Cup. For her new club she has three goals and one assist in seven WSL games.