Alexia Putellas claims record equalling third Ballon d’Or Feminin
Spain midfielder Alexia Putellas, 32, has been crowned the 2026 Ballon d’Or Feminin winner at the London Palladium on Monday, equalling the record of three awards and keeping the prize in Spanish hands for a sixth consecutive year.
She joins Spain teammate Aitana Bonmati on three awards, having won in 2021 and 2022, while Bonmati took the prize in 2023, 2024 and 2025. Ada Hegerberg in 2018 and Megan Rapinoe in 2019 are the only non Spaniards to have won.
Putellas captained Barcelona to a continental quadruple in 2025-26, taking the Liga F, Copa de la Reina, Spanish Supercopa and Champions League. She scored twice in May’s semi final, becoming the club’s joint second top scorer of all time and earning player of the tournament.
Putellas scored 21 goals and provided 13 assists in all competitions, ranking third and second respectively among players in Europe’s top five leagues. She also created 89 chances, more than anyone across Liga F, the Champions League, Copa de la Reina and Supercopa.
In the Champions League she created 36 chances, the most in a single edition since Caroline Graham Hansen’s 38 in 2021-22, matched only by Bayern Munich’s Klara Buhl. Barcelona claimed a fourth European title in six seasons and a seventh straight Liga F crown.
The award completes a remarkable return from the anterior cruciate ligament injury that threatened her career in 2022. After 14 years at Barcelona, she joined London City Lionesses in July, making her the first active Women’s Super League player to win the Ballon d’Or.
Putellas received the most votes from an international panel of journalists across FIFA’s top 50 ranked countries, finishing ahead of Barcelona striker Ewa Pajor. Bonmati, the 2025 winner, was not even nominated after missing most of the season with a broken leg.
In her acceptance speech, Putellas admitted she did not know what to say, thanked France Football and the voters, congratulated the other winners and nominees, and then turned to her teammates, saying it was a pleasure to play alongside them.
“I think anyone here could have fairly won this trophy and be giving this speech here right now.”
“Incredible experiences as a team, we overcome some difficulties, some injuries, some moments we weren’t expecting as a team and a great pride for me as captain.”
She then widened her message to young fans around the world, urging girls and boys alike to play football.
“Don’t listen if someone tells you, you can’t do it. Believe in yourself.”
Barcelona dominated the women’s awards, with Vicky Lopez, a repeat young talent winner, Pere Romeu, Cata Coll and the club itself taking the coach, goalkeeper and club prizes, though Charlyn Corral of CF Pachuca took women’s striker of the year.
Nicknamed La Reina, meaning the queen, Putellas was part of Spain’s Nations League winning side, and Barcelona’s quadruple was the second in their history. Her four trophies last season took her total to 38 across 14 years with the club.