Alexia Putellas wins third Women’s Ballon d’Or

Alexia Putellas won her third Women’s Ballon d’Or at the ceremony in London, matching Spain teammate Aitana Bonmatí’s record total and reclaiming the award after three years without it. Putellas, who won in 2021 and 2022, was recognized for her performances during Barcelona’s 2025-26 season. The result gives Spain’s two players the joint-highest number of Women’s Ballon d’Or wins. Bonmatí won the award in 2023, 2024 and 2025. The London ceremony marked Putellas’s return to the top individual honor after an anterior cruciate ligament injury in 2022 disrupted her progress. She captained Barcelona during the season before leaving the club for Women’s Super League side London City Lionesses in July. Barcelona won the Liga F title, Copa de la Reina, Spanish Super Cup and UEFA Women’s Champions League during the season. Putellas was named player of the tournament in the Champions League, where she scored seven goals, according to one account of her season. She also helped Spain win the UEFA Women’s Nations League. Accounts of Barcelona’s season described the club’s achievements using differing scopes: some called it a quadruple, while others listed the four club trophies separately....