Alexia Putellas

Alexia Putellas left FC Barcelona in May 2026 after 14 seasons, and in July she signed for London City Lionesses of the Women's Super League [3] [4]. The Barcelona years are the core of her story. They produced two Ballon d'Or awards and a farewell at Camp Nou where more than 91,000 people chanted her name [1].

Born in Mollet del Vallès

Alexia Putellas was born on 4 February 1994 in Mollet del Vallès, Spain [6]. Her listed position is attacking midfield [6]. Her nationality is Spanish [6].

Spain and the national team

Putellas is a World Cup winner with Spain [4]. She was part of Spain's 2023 World Cup-winning squad [5]. Al Jazeera also lists her as named the world's best female player in 2021 and 2022 [5], which matches the two Ballon d'Or awards the club reports [2].

Fourteen seasons at Barcelona

Putellas joined Barcelona at 18, in 2012, from Levante [3]. The club's own numbers, as reported by the Associated Press, show how long she stayed: 507 games, second on the club's all-time list, and 232 goals, a club record [3]. In that time she won 38 trophies, including four Champions Leagues and 10 Spanish league titles [3].

The club's fourth Champions League title came on Saturday, the weekend before she announced her exit, and the AP described it as the club's "fourth time in six seasons" [3]. The club's farewell article says she lifted that trophy, and it describes the win as a determining moment in her decision to leave [1].

Two Ballon d'Or awards

Putellas won the Ballon d'Or in 2021, and the club calls her its first women's Ballon d'Or winner [2]. The 2020 edition had been cancelled because of Covid-19, so the 2022 award gave her what the club calls a record two wins [2]. She was the first two-time winner of the honour, and her two wins came in consecutive years [2].

In the club's report on the 2022 award, she said: "when I won a year ago I told myself I had to get even better and serve the team" [2]. She also said: "I'm proud to play for Barça, my lifetime club" [2].

Leaving Barcelona

Barcelona announced her departure on Tuesday, 26 May 2026 [3]. In a video posted on social media, she said: "The time has come to acknowledge that I've given everything for these colors" [3]. The Associated Press quoted her describing the time at the club as "a perfect story" [3]. The Associated Press counted 14 seasons at the club [3].

The farewell took place at Camp Nou on the Wednesday after the announcement [1]. More than 91,000 people chanted her name [1]. The event opened with a video of her announcement. She said she had felt "an incredible emptiness" the day before, and that on the day she was "full of love" [1].

Former coach Xavi Llorens, who brought her back to Barcelona, spoke at the event and described her as having no ceiling as a player or person [1]. A video tribute included messages from Carles Puyol, Sergio Busquets, Andrés Iniesta, Pedri and Raphinha, along with former teammates [1]. Vicky López spoke for the younger players and called her "an example on and off the field" [1]. The song "Magnolias" rang out at the event, which ended with a team photo, a gift and a collective hug [1]. Putellas announced at the event that, with the FC Barcelona Foundation, she will open an academy for more than 400 underprivileged girls [1].

How the club described her career

The club's farewell article credits her with making Barcelona "a world leader in women's football" and says her career "has changed the face of women's football" [1]. These are the club's own words, so they describe how Barcelona wanted her time there to be remembered, not an independent assessment of her record.

The move to London City Lionesses

Her Barcelona contract expired at the end of June 2026 [4]. On Wednesday, 8 July 2026, London City Lionesses announced her signing, which the Associated Press called a "statement signing" [4]. She was 32 when she signed, according to both the Associated Press and Al Jazeera [4] [5].

The club is owned by Michele Kang, who also owns OL Lyonnes, the French club [4]. London City was promoted to the Women's Super League in 2025 and finished sixth in the 12-team division in its first season [4].

Putellas said that the club's "ambition and its steadfast commitment to growing as a women-only independent club resonate deeply with me" [4]. She also said: "I look forward to making an impact on the pitch as we challenge for titles" [4]. Kang said that "Alexia Putellas embodies the pinnacle of talent, dedication, and vision in women's football" [4].

The reports this page relies on do not state a contract length or any salary, so this page gives neither [5].

What is still open

The record for the London City years is short. The club's own announcement could not be opened for this page, so the account above comes from the Associated Press and Al Jazeera reports of the signing [4] [5]. Her first season with London City, and how her role will be used on the pitch, have not been reported in the sources used here. The sources opened for this page also do not give a shirt number or a debut date at London City, so neither appears here.