Alexia Putellas won the 2026 Ballon d’Or Féminin at the London Palladium, her third, four years after her last. The 32-year-old, now at London City Lionesses, captained Barcelona to a quadruple and the Champions League last season before leaving the club after 14 years.
London, England: Putellas had won the award twice, then lost most of two years to a torn ACL. On Monday night, in a city she now calls home, she won it a third time.
A night at the Palladium
The 70th Ballon d’Or ceremony was staged at the London Palladium, the first time the awards have been held in London. Putellas took the women’s prize ahead of Ewa Pajor, who finished second, and Khadija Shaw, who was third. Aitana Bonmatí, winner of the previous three awards, was out of contention after a long injury layoff.
The third award matches Bonmatí’s tally. Putellas had won in 2021 and 2022, back to back, and the gap between her second win and her third is four years.
The road back from injury
The injury came between those wins. Putellas tore her ACL on the eve of the 2022 European Championship in England, missed most of the following season with Barcelona and was a peripheral figure for Spain at the 2023 World Cup.
Last season she was central again. As Barcelona captain she led the club to a quadruple that included the Champions League, where Barcelona beat OL Lyonnes in the final, and UEFA named her its Women’s Champions League Player of the Season for 2025/26. Her 14-year spell at Barcelona ended in May when her contract expired, and she signed for London City Lionesses in July, one of the biggest transfers in the history of the Women’s Super League.
Barcelona still sweep the board
Her old club still dominated the rest of the women’s awards. Barcelona were named Club of the Year, Vicky López won Young Talent of the Year, Cata Coll took the goalkeeper prize and Pere Romeu was named Coach of the Year. Charlyn Corral of Mexico and Pachuca won Striker of the Year. On the men’s side, Harry Kane won the men’s Ballon d’Or at the same ceremony.
What comes next
Putellas now carries the award back to a London City side that sits third in the Women’s Super League table and is on an eight-game unbeaten run in all competitions. She has three goals and an assist in her first seven league games for the club.
Result summary: 2026 Ballon d’Or Féminin, London Palladium, Monday 26 October 2026. Winner: Alexia Putellas (Spain, London City Lionesses). Second: Ewa Pajor (Poland, Barcelona). Third: Khadija Shaw (Jamaica, Manchester City). Young Talent: Vicky López. Goalkeeper: Cata Coll. Coach: Pere Romeu. Club: Barcelona. Striker: Charlyn Corral.
