Alexia Putellas Wins Third Women's Ballon d'Or at London Ceremony
The Spanish midfielder claimed her third career award following a stellar season that included a domestic quadruple with Barcelona.
Spanish midfielder Alexia Putellas captured her third Women's Ballon d'Or during the annual ceremony held at the London Palladium. The prestigious honor adds to the player's remarkable career achievements, having previously won the coveted trophy in 2021 and 2022.
Putellas secured the award following a stellar campaign where she captained Barcelona to a domestic quadruple. Her impressive statistics included 24 goals and 13 assists across all competitions for the Catalan club, featuring seven goals and seven assists specifically in the Champions League.
UEFA recognized her exceptional performances by naming her the best player of the Champions League season. Shortly before the ceremony, Putellas announced her departure from Barcelona after 14 trophy-laden years, opting to continue her professional career with the London City Lionesses in the Women's Super League.
The voting process for the award covers the period from August 3, 2025, to July 19, 2026. Selected international journalists from the top 50 nations in the FIFA world rankings evaluated candidates based on individual performance, collective team achievements, and fair play.
Barcelona's heavy representation at the event highlighted the club's ongoing dominance in women's soccer. Alongside Putellas, several other Spanish players and team representatives received accolades during the gala, underscoring the nation's continued success on both the club and international stages.
In the men's category, English striker Harry Kane claimed the 2026 Ballon d'Or after scoring 73 goals and registering 8 assists in 65 matches for Bayern Munich. Meanwhile, the ceremony featured multiple other awards celebrating coaching achievements, young talents, and fair play initiatives across global football.