Alexia Putellas won her third career Ballon d’Or on Monday in London, capping a remarkable 1,574-day journey back to individual supremacy following a severe anterior cruciate ligament tear. The Spanish midfielder secured the 2026 award after capturing a quadruple of trophies with FC Barcelona and the UEFA Nations League with Spain, ara.cat reported.
Overcoming the 2022 Knee Injury
When Putellas tore her ACL on July 5, 2022, during a training session ahead of the European Championship, she had won her second Ballon d’Or. Reflecting on the setback in the Amazon Prime Video documentary Alexia, labor omnia vincit, she recalled telling her physiotherapist, Adrián Martínez, that she would be at peace with her career if she never fully recovered. Her immediate internal reaction, however, was defiance. Operating through 53 appearances in the 2025–26 season, she contributed 26 goals and 15 assists for Barcelona.
A Historic Gala Sweep for Barcelona in London
Putellas topped a final podium that featured Barcelona teammate Ewa Pajor in second place and Manchester City’s Khadija Shaw in third. The victory marks the sixth Ballon d’Or won by a Catalan player, following Aitana Bonmatí’s three-year run. Beyond Putellas, Barcelona dominated the ceremony: Vicky López retained the Kopa Trophy for the best player under 21 for the second straight year, while Cata Coll claimed the Yashin Trophy as the best goalkeeper. Pere Romeu also received the Johan Cruyff Trophy as the best coach, and Barcelona was named club of the year.
Transition to the London City Lionesses
Following her quadruple-winning campaign with Barcelona, Putellas concluded her 14-year tenure with the Catalan club to join the London City Lionesses, chaired by Michele Kang. Sources close to the player note that while she has settled quickly into English football alongside fellow Spanish players in London, adjusting to life away from her mother, sister, and friends in Barcelona remains her biggest challenge.
