Who is Alexia Putellas? All you need to know about Spain's three-time Ballon d'Or winner

Spain midfielder Alexia Putellas won the Ballon d'Or Feminin for a record-equalling third time on Monday after an impressive 2025-26 season with Barcelona.The 32-year-old helped Barcelona win four trophies, including the Women's Champions League, before leaving her childhood club to join Women's Super League (WSL) side London City Lionesses in July.Putellas also played a key role in Spain's success in the Women's Nations League last December. Her latest award puts her alongside former Barcelona teammate Aitana Bonmati, who won the honour in 2023, 2024 and 2025.Putellas had previously claimed the award in 2021 and 2022. Her latest victory marks a remarkable comeback after a serious knee injury threatened to derail her career.Who is Alexia Putellas?Born in Mollet del Valles, a town near Barcelona in Spain's Catalonia region, Putellas grew up playing football on the streets. She soon became a Barcelona fan and regularly watched matches at Camp Nou.She admired former Barcelona and Spain midfielder Andres Iniesta, along with Brazilian stars Rivaldo and Ronaldinho. Her early football journey included a summer camp run by former Barcelona midfielder Xavi and spells with local club CE Sabadell.Putellas later joined Barcelona's famous La Masia academy for a year before moving to Espanyol and Levante. She returned to Barcelona in 2012, beginning a long association with the club she had supported since childhood.During her 14 years at Barcelona, she won 38 trophies, including 10 league titles and four European Cups. She also earned the nickname 'La Reina', which means 'The Queen'.Putellas first won the Ballon d'Or Feminin in 2021 and successfully defended the award in 2022. However, her career suffered a major setback when she tore her anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) just before the European Championship that year. The injury ruled her out of the tournament and kept her away from her best form for some time. Although she won the Ballon d'Or again in 2022, she had a limited role in Spain's 2023 Women's World Cup-winning campaign.Putellas gradually returned to her best. She scored in the 2024 Women's Champions League final and continued to improve the following season.In 2025-26, she took on greater responsibility in Barcelona's attack while Bonmati was sidelined for five months with an injury. Putellas helped the club win four trophies and finished the campaign with 21 goals and 13 assists across all competitions.She also scored twice in Spain's 4-0 victory over England in June, a result that secured Spain's place at the 2027 Women's World Cup.What did Putellas say after winning her third Ballon d'Or?Putellas used her latest success to encourage young players around the world to follow their dreams, regardless of their gender or background."All the boys and girls around the world - if you love football and if you want to play football, play football. It doesn't matter if you're a boy or if you're a girl," Putellas said as quoted by BBC."Doesn't matter where you come from. Don't listen if someone tells you, you can't do it. Believe in yourself."Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.