Alexia Putellas wins women’s Ballon d’Or for third time

Alexia Putellas has won the women’s Ballon d’Or for a third time, becoming only the second player to reach that mark. The Spain midfielder received the award in London on Monday after a season in which Barcelona won the Champions League, Spanish league, cup and Super Cup.

Putellas, who now plays for London City Lionesses, previously won in 2021 and 2022. She succeeds compatriot Aitana Bonmatí, who took the award for the past three years but was not nominated this time after missing much of last season with a broken leg.

The award is decided by 50 journalists, one from each of the top 50 countries in Fifa’s world rankings. Each selects a top 10 from a shortlist of 30 players.

Three Dutch nominees — Esmee Brugts, Kerstin Casparij and Vivianne Miedema — finished outside the top 10.

Putellas’s third win matches Bonmatí’s total. The result caps a season of domestic and European success for Barcelona, although Putellas has since moved to England.