LONDON: Spain midfielder Alexia Putellas ​was presented with ‌the Ballon d’Or Feminin for the third time after ​another season of success ​for club and country. ​Barcelona striker Ewa Pajor was second with Manchester City forward Khadija Shaw third.

Putellas ​won ⁠the Spanish treble with Barcelona in ​the 2025-26 campaign ​before ⁠moving to Women’s Super League side ⁠London ​City Lionesses ​in July.

She joins Spain team-mate Aitana Bonmati on three Ballon d’Or Feminin crowns – her former Barcelona colleague won the award in 2023, 2024 and 2025 after Putellas did so in 2021 and 2022.

The past six Ballons d’Or have been won by the Spanish pair, with Norway’s Ada Hegerberg (2018) and Megan Rapinoe of the United States (2019) the only non-Spaniards to claim the prize.

Putellas’ latest victory caps a remarkable return to the pinnacle of world football after suffering a career-threatening anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury in 2022.

She said: “All the boys and girls around the world – if you love football and if you want to play football, play football. It doesn’t matter if you’re a boy or if you’re a girl.

“Doesn’t matter where you come from. Don’t listen if someone tells you, you can’t do it. Believe in yourself.”

The top 10:

1: Alexia Putellas
2: Ewa Pajor
3: Khadija Shaw
4: Melchie Dumornay
5: Patri Guijarro
6: Caroline Graham Hansen
7: Pernille Harder
8: Claudia Pina
9: Alessia Russo
10: Temwa Chawinga

ALL THE PRIZE WINNERS

Men’s Ballon d’Or winner – Harry Kane

Women’s Ballon d’Or winner – Alexia Putellas

Men’s striker of the year – Harry Kane

Women’s striker of the year – Charlyn Corral

Men’s club of the year – Paris St-Germain

Women’s club of the year – Barcelona

Socrates Award winner – Bukayo Saka

Men’s goalkeeper of the year – Unai Simón

Women’s goalkeeper of the year – Cata Coll

Men’s coach of the year – Luis de la Fuente

Women’s coach of the year – Pere Romeu

Women’s young talent of the year winner – Vicky López

Men’s young talent of the year winner – Lamine Yamal

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