She's back.
After a three-year run of seeing Spain and FC Barcelona teammate Aitana Bonmatí win the Ballon d'Or Féminin, Alexia Putellas won the award as best women's player for the third time on Monday, Oct. 26.
Putellas previously won the Ballon d'Or in 2021 and 2022. She left Barcelona in the summer to join the London City Lionesses - though the award's judging period came to a close before that move.
Bonmatí missed significant time in 2026 because of a leg fracture suffered at the end of 2025, clearing the way for Putellas to once again win the top prize.
Putellas scored seven goals and had seven assists as Barcelona won a fourth UEFA Women's Champions League title in 2025-26. She captained Barcelona to a 4-0 win over Lyon in the final and earned
the UWCL Player of the Season award.
She also scored nine goals as Barcelona defended its Liga F crown, winning the league for a seventh consecutive season.
The third trophy puts her level with Bonmatí as the woman who has won the most and also matches men's winners Michel Platini, Marco van Basten and Barcelona legend Johan Cruyff.
"I have to confess that after the first one, I looked at the multiple winners. I immediately wanted to be part of them," she told France Football after her second win. "The name that struck me most was Johan Cruyff. He has three, right? I want to go and put my name alongside his. An even bigger challenge. One more in my life."
Putellas beat a formidable field that included Khadija "Bunny" Shaw, the Manchester City and Jamaica star who was named WSL Player of the Season after helping City win the league, Putellas' Barcelona teammate Ewa Pajor, and Lyon and Haiti standout Melchie Dumornay.
The Ballon d'Or has been awarded to the top men's player in the world since 1956 by France Football magazine, with the women's award starting in 2018.
Next year's prize will see the 2027 Women's World Cup considered by voters in addition to what happens between summer 2026 and spring 2027.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Spain star Alexia Putellas wins third Ballon d'Or Feminin
