Alexia Putellas has won her third Ballon d’Or, capping her return to the top of women’s football after overcoming a career-threatening knee injury.
The 32-year-old Spanish midfielder receives the prestigious award in London on Monday, adding to the honours she won five and four years ago while starring for Barcelona.
Putellas’ rise to the top was interrupted by an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury just as she prepared to help Spain compete at the European Championship four years ago.
She returned to action and played a supporting role in Spain’s Women’s World Cup triumph a year later, but teammate Aitana Bonmatí dominated the spotlight as Putellas worked to regain her best form.
Bonmatí subsequently won three consecutive Ballon d’Or awards before a leg fracture sidelined her, creating an opportunity for Putellas to reassert herself.
Putellas seized the moment, helping Barcelona reclaim the Women’s Champions League last season.
“Ever since I suffered the injury, I’ve been trying to enjoy every moment as if it were my last, because you never know if it’ll happen again,” she told journalists in an interview last month.
She said her previous experience of winning the award had made the latest recognition even more special.
“I never felt that the (Ballon d’Or) trophy was ‘mine’… Having already experienced it once, I’m able to enjoy it even more now,” she said.
The midfielder has since left Barcelona for London City Lionesses, embarking on a new chapter with the English Women’s Super League club.
Owned by American businesswoman Michele Kang, the Lionesses are seeking to establish themselves as a competitive force in English women’s football as the league’s only fully independent club.
Putellas said the move offered her an opportunity to experience a different footballing environment and help build a winning culture.
“It’s a complete change in my life. It’s a constant, daily learning process: the culture, the language, moving to a new country, a new city,” she said.
She added that repeating her Barcelona experience elsewhere would not have made sense.
“I knew that if I ever had to end my time at Barca, it wouldn’t make much sense to repeat what I’d already experienced in the next chapter, mainly because it’s impossible.
“It had to be something completely different. It’s practically a brand-new club, with everything yet to be written, so I’m trying to bring that winning culture and mentality with me.”
Her arrival has coincided with an encouraging start for London City Lionesses, who are competing near the top of the Women’s Super League table alongside Chelsea and Manchester City.
The move could also help Putellas manage her workload ahead of next year’s World Cup, where Spain will seek to defend their title.
Without European club competition this season, she could have more time to prepare for international duties.
Putellas said the potential benefits for her international career were among the factors she considered before moving to England.
“It was one of the things I took into account. There’s a long way to go, and my focus is on the day-to-day, but I also believe that these kinds of environments are what will prepare me to perform at my best,” she said.
For now, Putellas celebrates her third Ballon d’Or while settling into life in London and helping shape the future of her new club.
