The midfielder\u2019s competition-leading 14 goal contributions \u2013 eight goals and six assists \u2013 in 11 Women\u2019s Champions League appearances last season, helping Barcelona lift the European title, went a long way to her securing the most votes, as well as her starring role in Spain\u2019s victory in the Women\u2019s Nations League finals last December. Her new club, London City Lionesses, will rejoice in the prestige of having the Ballon d\u2019Or winner in their squad but Putellas, who spent 14 yeas at Barcelona, made it clear whom she wanted to thank as she said in her acceptance speech \u201cThis prize is for Barcelona.\u201d<\/p>\n
Barcelona collected a clean sweep of the night\u2019s bigger awards, with Cata Coll taking the goalkeeper prize, Pere Romeu the coach award and Vicky L\u00f3pez the young player award, as well as Ewa Pajor finishing second behind Putellas for the main honour and Clara Serrajordi finishing second in the young player vote. It was almost a perfect night for the European champions, until their president, Joan Laporta, bizarrely spoke about his belief that their men\u2019s team could win this season\u2019s Champions League, appearing to only have eyes for the men\u2019s game despite specifically accepting the award for the women\u2019s club of the year.<\/p>\n
That Freudian slip aside, Monday night\u2019s glamorous ceremony at the The London Palladium passed off without the sexist controversy that tarnished the early years after France Football belatedly added the women\u2019s award for the first time in 2018. Progress has been made \u2013 the women\u2019s game does now at least receive a prize for the same categories as the men, but the event still does not quite offer full equality. Specifically, there is still not quite parity in the lengths of shortlists. Why, for example, were 10 players nominated for the men\u2019s young talent award, but only five for the women\u2019s? It was the same for the goalkeeper awards.<\/p>\n
The live show also demonstrated a disappointing lack of women\u2019s players or former women\u2019s players presenting prizes, aside from Lucy Bronze, who was on stage to hand L\u00f3pez her prize. Putellas receiving the Ballon d\u2019Or F\u00e9minin from Michael Owen, rather than, perhaps Mia Hamm, Birgit Prinz or Sun Wen, perhaps served as a reminder that there are very few formers winners of the women\u2019s prize for the organisers to choose from \u2013 only Ada Hegerberg, Megan Rapinoe, Putellas and Bonmat\u00ed have won this trophy \u2013 because it was introduced so late, in 2018.<\/p>\n
Vicky L\u00f3pez speaks after winning the young player award. Photograph: Kin Cheung\/AP<\/p>\n
Many fans will also have felt it was a shame that the dates covered by the relevant voting period \u2013 3 August 2025 to 19 July 2026, effectively for last season \u2013 were clearly based on the conclusion of this summer\u2019s men\u2019s World Cup, and therefore did not include this year\u2019s rearranged Wafcon, which was held from 26 July to 16 August. Performances at that tournament will instead be taken into account for next year\u2019s prizes. It meant, for example, that Cameroon\u2019s Wafcon-winning head coach Valentine Nguele, as not nominated for the coach of the year award, and there was a general dearth of African players recognised overall, aside from Temwa Chawinga becoming the first African player to finish in the women\u2019s top 10. Arguably, she deserved to be even higher.<\/p>\n
Putellas was a very worthy winner of the main prize, although some will feel it is a missed opportunity for a player from one of the countries less likely to succeed in major international competitions to be recognised, given that next year\u2019s Women\u2019s World Cup will inevitably ensure that the annual awards nights focus on whatever happens in Brazil. Poland\u2019s Pajor, for example, finished second after a tremendous campaign with Barcelona but she feels unlikely to go one better next year, simply because of her nationality.<\/p>\n
The same feels true for Jamaica\u2019s Khadija Shaw, who came third after firing Manchester City to their first domestic title in a decade \u2013 although the fact that she made the top three in spite of not playing Champions League football said a lot about how revered she is. Haiti\u2019s Melchie Dumornay \u2013 the best player Moving the Goalposts had the pleasure of seeing play live in the 2025-26 season \u2013 finished fourth. Aged 23, her time may well come in the future, but it is most likely to be in an even-numbered year.<\/p>\n
skip past newsletter promotion<\/a><\/p>\n Sign up to Moving the Goalposts<\/p>\n No topic is too small or too big for us to cover as we deliver a twice-weekly roundup of the wonderful world of women\u2019s football<\/p>\n after newsletter promotion<\/p>\n If she continues her current form, it would take a brave person to bet against Putellas retaining her crown next year, as Spain target a successful defence of the world title next summer. A humble role model for the sport, it is a privilege watching her grace the pitch with her deft touches, leadership and creativity and being a three-time Ballon d\u2019Or winner is no less than her storied career deserves.<\/p>\n Get in touch<\/p>\n If you have any questions or comments about any of our newsletters please email moving.goalposts@theguardian.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/1793119570_479_500.jpg\")
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