Putellas Wins Record-Equalling Third Ballon d'Or Féminin

The Barcelona midfielder, 32, secured the prize following a brilliant 2025-26 campaign that saw her guide the Catalans to Champions League glory as part of a domestic quadruple. She has since joined London City Lionesses in the WSL.

Putellas' feat represents a remarkable recovery from a career-threatening ACL injury sustained in 2022, proving her status among the world's elite remains undimmed. Last season, according to BBC Sport, she scored 21 goals and provided 13 assists across all competitions—third and second respectively among players in Europe's top five leagues.

The Barcelona captain's influence extended beyond goalscoring. In Liga F, she joint-topped the assists chart with seven and ranked fourth for open-play chances created (40). Across the continent's premier divisions, only three players completed more sequence involvements ending in a shot than Putellas' 151.

Spain has now claimed six consecutive Ballon d'Or Féminin awards, with Bonmati winning in 2023, 2024 and 2025 before Putellas' triumphs in 2021 and 2022. The only non-Spanish winners in the award's history are Norway's Ada Hegerberg (2018) and Megan Rapinoe of the United States (2019).

Ewa Pajor finished second in voting, with Khadija Shaw third.