Alexia Putellas wins Ballon d'Or for a third time

Spanish midfielder Alexia Putellas won the women's Ballon d'Or for the third time at a ceremony held Monday at the London Palladium. The 32-year-old captained Barcelona as they won four trophies in the 2025-26 season. These achievements include the UEFA Women's Champions League.

With this award, Putellas began sharing the record for the most women's Ballon d'Or wins with Aitana Bonmatí. Bonmatí had won the award in 2023, 2024 and 2025. Putellas had previously won it in 2021 and 2022 in succession, but a serious anterior cruciate ligament injury to her left knee in 2022 interrupted her career.

Her return from injury paved the way for Bonmatí to rise to prominence in women's football, while Putellas once again established herself among the world's leading players. In her fourteen-year career at Barcelona, she has played more than 500 matches, scored over 230 goals and won 38 trophies with the club.

In the Champions League, she was named the tournament's best player after recording seven goals and seven assists in 11 matches. Barcelona beat OL Lyonnes in the final to claim their fourth European title in six seasons. Putellas also played a key role for Spain with the national team as they retained the UEFA Women's Nations League in December 2025.

This triumph also marked the start of a new chapter in Putellas's club career. Her contract with Barcelona expires in summer 2026, and she has left the club to sign a multi-year deal with London City Lionesses.