Overview
- Alexia Putellas won the women's Ballon d'Or, finishing ahead of Clàudia Pina and Alessia Russo and ending Aitana Bonmatí's three‑year run of victories.
- Organizers highlighted Putellas's return to elite form after a 2022 cruciate‑ligament injury as the core reason for her selection.
- Putellas produced 24 goals and 13 assists across competitions, including seven goals and seven assists in the Champions League, and UEFA named her the Champions League player of the season.
- She moved in summer 2026 from FC Barcelona, where she spent more than a decade, to London City Lionesses, a transfer France Football framed as part of her new chapter.
- At the gala Putellas gave an emotional acceptance speech thanking former Barcelona teammates, while other ranked nominees included Klara Bühl (12th), Pernille Harder (top 10) and Momoko Tanikawa (23rd).