Alexia Putellas Wins 2026 Women’s Ballon d’Or

Alexia Putellas has won the 2026 Women’s Ballon d’Or, claiming the prestigious individual award for the third time after an outstanding season with Barcelona. The Spain international was announced as the winner at the ceremony in London on 26 October, adding another major achievement to a career that has established her among the leading figures in women’s football.

The 32-year-old midfielder previously won the award in 2021 and 2022, becoming the first woman to retain the Ballon d’Or Féminin. Her latest success follows a strong 2025-26 campaign in which she helped Barcelona win four trophies and played a central role in the club’s UEFA Women’s Champions League triumph.

Putellas finished ahead of Barcelona team-mate Ewa Pajor, who came second, and Manchester City forward Khadija Shaw, who placed third. Her performance in Europe was particularly influential, with UEFA naming her the 2025-26 Women’s Champions League Player of the Season after she scored seven goals and provided seven assists in the competition.

The award also comes at an important point in Putellas’s career. After more than a decade with Barcelona, she moved to Women’s Super League club London City Lionesses in July 2026. Her Ballon d’Or victory therefore recognises the achievements of her final season in Spain while placing her individual success firmly in the context of English women’s football.

Alexia Putellas wins her third Ballon d’Or

Putellas’s third victory places her alongside compatriot Aitana Bonmatí as the joint record holder for the most Women’s Ballon d’Or awards. Bonmatí won three consecutive titles in 2023, 2024 and 2025, while Putellas’s victories came in 2021, 2022 and 2026.

Her first two awards came during a period when Barcelona had become one of the dominant forces in European women’s football. Putellas was central to the team’s possession-based style, combining close control, forward passing and an ability to arrive in dangerous positions around the penalty area.

Her third win carries a different significance because it follows a serious knee injury and a lengthy period of recovery. Putellas suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury in July 2022, shortly before Spain’s European Championship campaign. The injury ruled her out of the tournament and interrupted a period in which she was widely regarded as one of the leading players in the women’s game.

She returned to competitive football in 2023, gradually rebuilding her fitness and influence. Barcelona continued to win major honours, while team-mate Bonmatí emerged as a leading contender for individual awards. Putellas’s latest victory demonstrates that she remained capable of competing at the highest level despite the disruption to her career.

The award does not simply recognise her return from injury. It reflects her contribution throughout the 2025-26 season, particularly in a Barcelona side that achieved domestic and European success. Her performance in the Champions League provided a clear measure of her impact, with goals and assists helping the club secure another continental title.

Barcelona’s trophy-winning season strengthened her case

Barcelona’s achievements were central to Putellas’s Ballon d’Or campaign. The club won four trophies during the 2025-26 season, according to UEFA, continuing its position among the leading teams in European women’s football.

The Women’s Champions League was particularly important. Barcelona’s success in the competition gave Putellas an opportunity to demonstrate her influence against elite opposition, and her seven goals and seven assists helped earn her the tournament’s Player of the Season award.

Those figures show the breadth of her contribution. Putellas is a midfielder rather than a conventional centre-forward, but she regularly helps create attacking opportunities while also arriving in positions from which she can score. Her ability to combine goalscoring with chance creation makes her valuable in a team that often dominates possession and asks its midfielders to control the rhythm of matches.

Barcelona’s collective success also provided context for the individual award. The Ballon d’Or is not automatically awarded to a player from the season’s most successful club, but team trophies can strengthen a candidate’s case when they accompany outstanding individual performances.

UEFA’s 2026 awards recognised Barcelona’s wider achievements. The club received the Women’s Club of the Year award, while head coach Pere Romeu was named Women’s Coach of the Year. Goalkeeper Cata Coll and young midfielder Vicky López also received individual honours.

Putellas’s victory therefore formed part of a successful evening for Barcelona, although her individual award reflected her own contribution rather than the club’s achievements alone.

Who were the other contenders for the 2026 award?

The Women’s Ballon d’Or rankings reflected a competitive season across European and international football. Putellas finished first, followed by Ewa Pajor and Khadija Shaw.

1. Alexia Putellas

Spain · Barcelona / London City Lionesses

Winner after a standout Champions League campaign, with seven goals and seven assists in the competition.

2. Ewa Pajor

Poland · Barcelona

The Barcelona forward finished runner-up, giving the club the top two places in the women’s rankings.

3. Khadija Shaw

Jamaica · Manchester City

The Manchester City striker finished third, representing one of the leading attacking threats in the Women’s Super League.

UEFA’s final top ten also included Melchie Dumornay of OL Lyonnes in fourth place, Barcelona midfielder Patri Guijarro in fifth and Caroline Graham Hansen in sixth. Pernille Harder of Bayern Munich finished seventh, followed by Barcelona forward Clàudia Pina in eighth. England international Alessia Russo of Arsenal placed ninth, while Temwa Chawinga of Kansas City Current completed the top ten.

The presence of players from Spain, England, France, Germany and the United States underlined the international spread of the competition. It also demonstrated that the award considers performances across different leagues rather than focusing exclusively on one domestic championship.

For English supporters, Russo’s ninth-place finish provided another point of interest. The Arsenal forward has established herself as an important player for club and country, and her inclusion placed an English club representative among the leading candidates.

From Barcelona captain to London City Lionesses

Putellas’s move to London City Lionesses marked a significant change after a long association with Barcelona. She joined the Catalan club’s first team in 2012 and spent more than a decade helping establish its women’s side as a major force in Spain and Europe.

Her departure was confirmed in 2026, and she joined London City Lionesses ahead of the 2026-27 Women’s Super League season. The move brought one of the most decorated players in women’s football into the English domestic game.

London City Lionesses offer a different environment from Barcelona. The Spanish club has built its success around a highly developed youth system, technical football and regular competition for domestic and European titles. The English side, meanwhile, is seeking to strengthen its position in the Women’s Super League.

Putellas’s arrival gives the London club a player with extensive experience of major European matches and international tournaments. Her technical ability and understanding of midfield play could be valuable to team-mates, while her record of competing for major honours provides an additional point of reference for a club seeking to develop.

However, her Ballon d’Or win recognises performances from the 2025-26 season, when she was still at Barcelona. It should not be interpreted as an award for her early performances with London City Lionesses. Her impact in England will be assessed through the matches she plays during the new campaign.

The timing nevertheless creates an unusual connection between the award and the Women’s Super League. Putellas arrives in England as the reigning Ballon d’Or winner, increasing the profile of a competition that has attracted more leading international players in recent seasons.

How Alexia Putellas built her reputation

Born on 4 February 1994 in Mollet del Vallès, near Barcelona, Putellas developed through youth football before establishing herself at senior level. She played for Espanyol and Levante before joining Barcelona’s first team in 2012.

Her progress coincided with the growth of Barcelona’s women’s programme. The club invested in its women’s side, developed players through its academy system and built a team capable of challenging consistently for domestic and European trophies.

Putellas became one of the defining players of that period. As a midfielder, she can receive the ball under pressure, carry it into attacking areas and deliver passes that break defensive lines. She is also capable of scoring from outside the penalty area and contributing goals in important matches.

Her career has included four UEFA Women’s Champions League titles with Barcelona, alongside multiple Spanish league and cup victories. She was also part of Spain’s squad that won the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup and helped the national team secure the UEFA Women’s Nations League in 2024.

These achievements explain why Putellas’s influence extends beyond her individual statistics. She has played through a period in which women’s football has gained greater visibility, improved professional structures and attracted larger audiences. Barcelona’s European success helped bring additional attention to the Spanish game, while Spain’s international achievements demonstrated the depth of talent available to the national team.

Her career has also involved setbacks. The 2022 knee injury came at a crucial point, when she had just won her second Ballon d’Or and was preparing for a major international tournament. Recovering from such an injury requires both physical rehabilitation and a gradual return to competitive demands.

Her third award is therefore significant not only because it matches Bonmatí’s record, but because it recognises a player who returned to the top level after a major interruption to her career.

What the 2026 award means for women’s football

Putellas’s third Ballon d’Or adds to a period of increasing recognition for women’s football. The award gives international attention to performances across domestic leagues, European competitions and national teams, while the annual rankings provide a record of the players who have made the greatest impact.

Her victory also illustrates how individual honours can reflect different career paths. Putellas’s first two awards came in consecutive years, while her third followed injury, rehabilitation and a change of club. The gap between those successes makes the latest result a distinct milestone rather than a continuation of an uninterrupted run.

Barcelona’s influence remains clear, with Putellas, Bonmatí and other players from the club featuring prominently in recent editions. Yet the presence of Shaw, Russo, Dumornay and Chawinga in the 2026 top ten shows that leading performers are emerging from a broader range of clubs and leagues.

For the Women’s Super League, Putellas’s move to London City Lionesses creates an opportunity to see one of the sport’s most decorated midfielders compete in England. Her previous achievements are already established, but the next stage of her career will be judged by what she contributes on the pitch in London.

The immediate significance of her third Ballon d’Or is clear. Putellas has returned to the top of the individual game after a difficult period, matched Bonmatí’s record of three women’s awards and completed her final Barcelona season with another major personal honour.

FAQs

. Did Alexia Putellas win the 2026 Women’s Ballon d’Or?

According to reports published on 26 October 2026, Alexia Putellas won the 2026 Women’s Ballon d’Or. The Barcelona midfielder received the award after an impressive season for club and country.

2. How many times has Alexia Putellas won the Ballon d’Or?

Putellas has reportedly won the Women’s Ballon d’Or three times, in 2021, 2022 and 2026. Her first two victories came in consecutive years, making her the first woman to retain the award.

3. Who finished second in the 2026 Women’s Ballon d’Or?

Barcelona forward Ewa Pajor reportedly finished second in the 2026 rankings, followed by Manchester City striker Khadija Shaw in third place.

4. Which club did Alexia Putellas play for during the 2025-26 season?

Putellas played for Barcelona during the 2025-26 season. She subsequently joined London City Lionesses ahead of the 2026-27 Women’s Super League campaign.

5. How many goals did Alexia Putellas score in the 2025-26 Champions League?

Putellas reportedly scored seven goals and provided seven assists in the 2025-26 UEFA Women’s Champions League. Her performances helped Barcelona win the competition and earned her the tournament’s Player of the Season award.

6. How old is Alexia Putellas?

Alexia Putellas was born on 4 February 1994. She was 32 years old when the 2026 Women’s Ballon d’Or ceremony took place in October.

7. What position does Alexia Putellas play?

Putellas is a midfielder known for her technical ability, passing, movement and goalscoring. She contributes to both attacking and possession-based play, helping her teams create opportunities and control matches.

8. Has Alexia Putellas won the Women’s World Cup?

Yes. Putellas was part of Spain’s squad that won the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. Spain defeated England 1-0 in the final.

9. Who has won the most Women’s Ballon d’Or awards?

Based on the winners reported through 2026, Alexia Putellas and Aitana Bonmatí share the record with three Women’s Ballon d’Or victories each. Bonmatí won in 2023, 2024 and 2025, while Putellas won in 2021, 2022 and 2026.