Alexia Putellas wins women’s Ballon d’Or for joint-record third time
Spain midfielder Alexia Putellas has equalled Aitana Bonmati’s three Ballon d’Or Feminin crowns.
Alexia Putellas has won the women’s Ballon d’Or for a joint-record third time, BBC Sport reported. The Spain midfielder captained Barcelona to a quadruple before joining London City Lionesses in July.
Key takeaways
- Putellas won the Ballon d’Or Feminin for a third time, BBC Sport reported.
- She joins Spain team-mate Aitana Bonmati on three wins, according to BBC Sport.
- The past six Ballons d’Or have gone to the Spanish pair, BBC Sport said.
- Ewa Pajor finished second and Khadija Shaw third, BBC Sport reported.
- Harry Kane won the men’s Ballon d’Or, BBC Sport reported.
Spain midfielder Alexia Putellas has won the women’s Ballon d’Or for a joint-record third time, BBC Sport reported, keeping the prize in Spanish hands for a sixth consecutive year.
What we know
Putellas, 32, captained Barcelona to Champions League glory as part of a quadruple before joining Women’s Super League side London City Lionesses in July, BBC Sport said. She now stands level with Spain team-mate Aitana Bonmati on three Ballon d’Or Feminin crowns, with Bonmati winning in 2023, 2024 and 2025 after Putellas triumphed in 2021 and 2022, according to BBC Sport. The past six Ballons d’Or have been won by the Spanish pair, BBC Sport reported, with Norway’s Ada Hegerberg in 2018 and Megan Rapinoe of the United States in 2019 the only non-Spaniards to claim the prize.
Putellas collected the most votes from an international panel of journalists across Fifa’s top-50 ranked countries, BBC Sport said. Barcelona striker Ewa Pajor came second and Manchester City forward Khadija Shaw third. Meanwhile, England captain Harry Kane won the men’s Ballon d’Or, becoming the first English player to do so since Michael Owen in 2001, BBC Sport reported.
Why it matters
Putellas’s latest victory caps a return to the pinnacle of world football after a career-threatening anterior cruciate ligament injury in 2022, BBC Sport said. Nicknamed La Reina, she scored 21 goals and provided 13 assists in all competitions last season, ranking third and second respectively among players across Europe’s top five leagues, BBC Sport reported. Seven of those goals came in the Women’s Champions League as Barcelona claimed a fourth continental title in six seasons, according to BBC Sport.
Ballon d’Or Feminin winners since 2018
Year | Winner | Country |
|---|---|---|
2018 | Ada Hegerberg | Norway |
2019 | Megan Rapinoe | United States |
2021 | Alexia Putellas | Spain |
2022 | Alexia Putellas | Spain |
2023 | Aitana Bonmati | Spain |
2024 | Aitana Bonmati | Spain |
2025 | Aitana Bonmati | Spain |
What happens next
Putellas now plays for London City Lionesses in the Women’s Super League after leaving Barcelona in July, BBC Sport reported. The award is presented by France Football and honours the player deemed to have performed best over the previous season, according to background on the Ballon d’Or Féminin.
Background
Alexia Putellas is a Spanish professional footballer from Catalonia who plays as a midfielder or forward for London City Lionesses and the Spain women’s national team, according to Wikipedia. She previously played for Espanyol, Levante and Barcelona, and has represented Catalonia. The Ballon d’Or Féminin is presented by France Football and recognises the best female footballer over the previous season, according to background sources.
Sources
Topics
Spotted an error? Read our corrections policy or use the flag button above. Our editorial standards explain how we report.
Discussion
Sign in or create a free account to join the discussion. Please follow our community guidelines.