Alexia Putellas wins Ballon d’Or 2021 after starring role in Barcelona’s treble-winning season

Putellas becomes the third winner of the Ballon d’Or Feminin after Ada Hegerberg in 2018 and Megan Rapinoe in 2019

Alexia Putellas has won the women’s Ballon d’Or after a sensational year for Barcelona in which she helped the team to a dominant treble.

Putellas was instrumental in the success of Barcelona Femeni as they won the Spanish league, cup and Champions League. The 27-year-old midfielder, who regularly wore the captain’s armband during the 2020-21 season, scored in both cup finals and her calendar year has included 37 goals and 27 assists to date.

The Spain international saw off the challenge of her prolific Barca teammate Jennifer Hermoso, as well as Chelsea duo Sam Kerr and Fran Kirby who were key to their Women’s Super League triumph in 2020-21. Netherlands’ Lieke Martens and Vivianne Miedema, of Barca and Arsenal respectively, also had good years with the latter scoring a record 10 goals at the Olympic Games.

Putellas becomes the third winner of the Ballon d’Or Feminin after Ada Hegerberg in 2018 and Megan Rapinoe in 2019. The award was cancelled in 2020 due to the pandemic.

Hermoso came in second, with the prolific Australian international Kerr in third. Fellow WSL sharpshooter Miedema was fourth, with Chelsea’s Kirby - the only England international on the final shortlist - in 10th.