Barcelona captain Alexia Putellas to leave after 14 seasons

Alexia Putellas, the iconic captain of FC Barcelona's women's team, will leave the club this summer after 14 seasons, the club announced. The 32-year-old midfielder's contract expires at the end of the current campaign, concluding a historic tenure with her childhood club.

Putellas, a two-time Ballon d'Or winner, departs having just helped Barcelona secure a fourth UEFA Women's Champions League title with a victory over Lyon in Oslo last Saturday, part of a domestic and European quadruple this season. She will play her final home match at Barcelona against Real Sociedad on Wednesday. The club will honor her with a special farewell event at the Spotify Camp Nou.

In a personal statement released via video, Putellas described her time at Barcelona as a perfect story. She reflected on her journey from being a six-year-old fan attending matches with her father to becoming a player celebrated by over 90,000 supporters in the same stadium. I have always said that you cannot defend this shirt halfway, and I understand that I have given everything I have, she said. I said I wanted the final moment to come when I was at my best, giving everything and with 100 percent energy. That's it,...