Sports

Alexia Putellas: The Football Queen Who Conquered Europe, Won Three Ballon d’Or Awards and Changed the Game

Alexia Putellas has built an exceptional career. The Spanish midfielder has won the World Cup, lifted four Women’s Champions League trophies and claimed three Ballon d’Or awards. Her skill, vision and leadership have made her a star beyond Spain. In 2026, she opened a new chapter with London City Lionesses after 14 years at Barcelona. Behind the trophies is a story of family support, personal loss, an injury and the will to keep improving.

Alexia Putellas Quick Bio

DetailFact
Full nameAlèxia Putellas i Segura
Date of birth4 February 1994
Age in October 202632
BirthplaceMollet del Vallès, Catalonia, Spain
NationalitySpanish
Cultural backgroundCatalan
Height1.73 metres (5 ft 8 in)
WeightOften given as 67 kg; current figure unconfirmed
PositionAttacking midfielder or forward
Preferred footLeft
Current clubLondon City Lionesses
Former clubsSabadell, Espanyol, Levante, Barcelona
National teamSpain
ParentsJaume Putellas Rota and Elisabet Segura Sabaté
SisterAlba Putellas
Husband and childrenNone publicly confirmed
Main honoursThree Ballon d’Or awards; 2023 World Cup

Early Life: Where Her Football Dream Began

Born in Mollet del Vallès, near Barcelona, Alexia grew up in a family that loved football. Her father, Jaume, supported FC Barcelona and often took her to matches. She watched great players such as Andrés Iniesta and Ronaldinho, then tried to copy their touches at home and on the street.

At seven, she joined CE Sabadell. Training meant regular journeys, and her parents and other relatives helped her get there. She played with determination even when girls had fewer chances than boys to build a football career. Those early years taught her to work hard and trust her ability.

Parents, Sister and Family Loss

Her mother, Elisabet Segura Sabaté, has been a steady source of support, while her younger sister, Alba, remains part of her close family circle. Her father died in 2012, the year she joined Barcelona’s senior team. It was a painful time for the young player. When she later won major awards, she honoured his memory and the faith he had placed in her.

Education, Ethnicity, Accent and Religion

Putellas attended school in Catalonia and studied Business Administration and Management at Pompeu Fabra University. She put her studies on hold when professional football demanded more time. A completed degree has not been firmly confirmed.

She is Spanish and has a Catalan cultural background. She speaks both Catalan and Spanish, shaped by her upbringing in the region. Her exact accent has no formal classification. She has not shared a confirmed religious affiliation, so attaching a faith to her would be unfair.

Alexia Putellas Partner, Husband and Children

Her personal life draws interest, but she keeps much of it private. Spanish media have linked her with Olga Ríos, who works in public relations, and covered the end of their relationship in 2025. Putellas has not confirmed a current partner in 2026.

There is no verified marriage, so she has no publicly confirmed husband or wife. She has also not announced having children. These details matter because social media gossip can travel much faster than facts. Her choice to keep family matters private deserves respect.

Alexia Putellas Net Worth and Salary in 2026

Her precise net worth is not known. Online figures of $5 million or more are estimates, not confirmed records of her assets and debts. A better guide to her earning power comes from Forbes, which estimated her 2023 income at $4 million. That included $800,000 from football and $3.2 million from off-field work. Annual income is not the same as net worth.

After her move to London City Lionesses in July 2026, BBC Sport placed her basic annual pay below £1 million, with bonuses able to raise the total. The club has not released the full contract, so an exact salary cannot be stated.

Sources of Income and Brand Deals

Football wages, performance bonuses, advertising, sponsorships and image rights support her income. Major brands associated with her career include Nike, Visa, Allianz, Iberdrola, Martiderm, Mango and CUPRA. Some deals belong to earlier years and may no longer be active.

Nike created a special Phantom 6 boot for her in 2026, a sign of her value as a sports icon. She has also featured in campaigns that connect football with fashion and women’s opportunities.

Business Ventures and the Eleven Foundation

She is not known to own a large group of private companies. Her clearest personal project is the Eleven Foundation, which uses football to help girls gain confidence, learn life skills and enjoy better opportunities. It has run projects in Spain, Colombia and Mexico, reaching more than 300 girls and their communities. This is charitable work, not proof of personal business profit.

How Alexia Putellas Started Her Football Career

After Sabadell, she spent time in Barcelona’s youth system and moved to Espanyol. There she grew from a promising teenager into a senior player and shared in a Copa de la Reina triumph in 2010. She joined Levante in 2011 and spent one season there before Barcelona signed her in 2012, when she was 18.

Fourteen Historic Years at Barcelona

At Barcelona she developed from a wide attacker into a creative central midfielder. She could control the pace of a match, split defences with a pass and arrive in the box to score. Her left foot became one of the team’s strongest weapons.

The club won its first Women’s Champions League in 2021, with Putellas as captain. Further European titles followed in 2023, 2024 and 2026. She also helped the team collect ten Spanish league titles, ten Copa de la Reina trophies, six Spanish Super Cups and eight Copa Catalunya titles. That made 38 trophies during her Barcelona career.

Barcelona credits her with 508 official appearances and 232 goals in its farewell biography. A separate club database gives 233 goals, so the two club records differ by one. Either figure shows how rare it is for a midfielder to score so often while also creating chances for others.

The Knee Injury That Tested Her

In July 2022, just before the Women’s European Championship, she tore the anterior cruciate ligament in her knee. Surgery and rehabilitation kept her off the pitch for most of the season. She returned in April 2023, but her best form did not come back at once.

Her comeback became one of her greatest achievements. She helped Barcelona win again and produced seven goals and seven assists in the 2025–26 Champions League. UEFA named her Player of the Season. Her success showed that a major setback did not have to end an outstanding career.

London City Lionesses: A New Chapter

In July 2026, she signed a three-year contract with London City Lionesses in England’s Women’s Super League. The move surprised many fans because she had spent most of her life at Barcelona. She chose a new challenge and the chance to help build an ambitious club.

By 26 October, she had scored three goals and made one assist in seven league matches. Her arrival also brought fresh attention to the club and to women’s football in England.

Spain Career, Statistics and Major Awards

Putellas made her senior debut for Spain in 2013. She was part of the squad that won the 2023 Women’s World Cup, beating England in the final. Spain also won the Women’s Nations League in 2024 and 2025, while reaching the European Championship final in 2025.

In October 2026, she earned her 150th international cap against the United States. She marked it with a goal and an assist, taking her Spain tally to 43 goals. She has also won two Best FIFA Women’s Player awards and two UEFA Women’s Player of the Year prizes.

Three Ballon d’Or Wins

Her first Ballon d’Or came in 2021, followed by a second in 2022. After injury threatened her progress, she returned to claim a third on 26 October 2026. The London ceremony placed her level with Aitana Bonmatí on three awards each. She finished ahead of Ewa Pajor and Khadija Shaw in the vote.

Documentary and Media Work

In 2022, the documentary series Alexia: Labor Omnia Vincit followed her life and football career. It gave fans a closer look at her training, family ties and recovery from injury. The series also showed the pressure of playing at the highest level. Her work with fashion and sports brands has since brought her story to people who do not usually watch football.

Alexia Putellas Latest News and Lasting Legacy

The third Ballon d’Or is the biggest recent milestone. It followed Barcelona’s 2025–26 European triumph and her move to the English league. Her 150th Spain appearance earlier in October gave fans another reason to celebrate her long service to the national team.

Away from matches, she has used her fame to support better conditions for women in sport. She has spoken about fair chances for young girls and supported changes in Spanish football. Her charity work carries the same message into communities where sport can change a child’s future.

Putellas is more than a winner of major trophies. She helped make women’s football more visible, showed how a captain can lead with both skill and care, and fought back from an injury that could have stopped her. From a child travelling to training with her family to a three-time Ballon d’Or winner, her journey shows what talent and persistence can achieve. Her career in London is still being written, and her place in football history is already secure.

FAQs

1. Who is Alexia Putellas?

Alexia Putellas is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for London City Lionesses and the Spain women’s national team. She is famous for her passing, leadership and creativity. She has won three Ballon d’Or awards and the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

2. How old is Alexia Putellas?

Alexia Putellas is 32 years old as of October 2026. She was born on 4 February 1994 in Mollet del Vallès, Catalonia, Spain. Her zodiac sign is Aquarius.

3. Who are Alexia Putellas’s parents?

Her parents are Jaume Putellas Rota and Elisabet Segura Sabaté. Her father strongly supported her football ambitions but sadly passed away in 2012. Her mother has remained an important source of encouragement throughout her career.

4. Is Alexia Putellas married?

No marriage has been publicly confirmed. She has previously been linked with Olga Ríos, but their relationship reportedly ended in 2025. Her current relationship status remains private, and she has no publicly confirmed children.

5. Does Alexia Putellas have any siblings?

Yes, she has a younger sister named Alba Putellas. The sisters share a close family bond, although Alba prefers to keep her personal life away from media attention.

Celebrityfigures.co.uk

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