Alexia Putellas: The Queen of Women's Football
Alexia Putellas is the defining player of her era in women's football. A two-time Ballon d'Or Féminin winner, the Barcelona Femení captain combines extraordinary technical skill with tactical intelligence, leadership, and the vision of a playmaker operating at a level that has redefined expectations for midfielders in the women's game. Her comeback from ACL surgery to reclaim her world's best status remains one of sport's great redemption stories.
The Making of a Legend
Alexia Putellas grew up in Mollet del Vallès near Barcelona and joined Barcelona's academy system at a young age, progressing through the ranks to become the heart of one of the most celebrated club sides in women's football history. Her development as a central midfielder capable of dictating tempo, creating goals, and scoring them herself placed her at the centre of Spain's tactical revolution in the women's game at both club and international level.
Her back-to-back Ballon d'Or Féminin awards in 2021 and 2022 were the formal recognition of what football followers already knew: she had elevated the position of attacking midfielder in women's football to a new level. Even suffering a serious ACL injury prior to the 2022 World Cup could not diminish her legacy, and her return to full fitness and form demonstrated exceptional mental resilience alongside her physical gifts.
The Putellas Effect
Playing Style
Putellas operates as a deep-lying playmaker and attacking midfielder who combines the spatial intelligence of a regista with the goal threat of a number ten. Her ability to receive under pressure and instantly play forward passes at pace destabilises opposition structures. She is also physically strong, difficult to dispossess, and excellent in the air for a technically focused midfielder — a complete package at the highest level.
Honours
In addition to back-to-back Ballon d'Or Féminin wins, Putellas has collected multiple Liga F titles, Copa de la Reina medals, and UEFA Women's Champions League glory with Barcelona Femení. With the Spanish national team she added the 2023 World Cup to her collection, a tournament in which she returned from injury to contribute as Spain captured their first global title in the women's game.
ACL Recovery
Putellas suffered a devastating ACL injury in July 2022, ruling her out of the European Championship she had been heavily favoured to dominate. Her recovery process was meticulously documented, and her return to the Barcelona first team was marked by performances that showed no diminishment in her ability. Within months of returning, she was back to her very best — a remarkable testament to her dedication and physical conditioning.
Leading Barcelona and Spain Forward
In 2025-26, Putellas remains at the centre of everything Barcelona Femení do. Her partnership with Aitana Bonmatí — the world's current best player — creates a midfield pairing unmatched anywhere in women's football. Together, they orchestrate a press-and-possess system that has made Barcelona the standard-bearers for how women's club football should look tactically and aesthetically.
For Spain, her leadership ahead of the Women's EURO 2025 is central to their ambitions. As captain, she carries the responsibility of channelling the immense talent in the Spanish squad into cohesive performances on the international stage. With a World Cup won and a EURO to pursue, Putellas is playing the final chapters of a career that has already secured her place as one of the sport's all-time greats.
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