Putellas claims third Ballon d’Or as award shortlists expose gender gap
Alexia Putellas won the women’s Ballon d’Or for a record-equalling third time, returning to the top after recovering from a serious knee injury. Her performances helped Barcelona win the Champions League and Spain claim the Nations League, underlining her standing among the game’s greatest players.
The award continued Spain’s run: Putellas or Aitana Bonmatí has won it in each of the past six years. The article argues that the ceremony still falls short of equality, with shorter shortlists and few women presenting awards. Its voting period excluded the rearranged Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, leaving African players under-represented; Temwa Chawinga was the only African player in the top 10.
In short
- Putellas claimed her third women’s Ballon d’Or.
- Her Champions League and Nations League displays helped secure the award.
- Shorter lists and Wafcon’s exclusion highlight continuing gaps.
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The case for
The ceremony’s format can be seen as reflecting the women’s game’s smaller global profile and the practical limits of a relatively young award, while still recognising Putellas’s exceptional achievements. Shorter shortlists and a voting period set by the competition calendar may be administrative choices rather than evidence of deliberate exclusion; the award’s growing prominence could help bring more attention to women’s football over time.
The case against
An award presented as celebrating the best in football should give women comparable visibility and representation, rather than treating a shorter shortlist or fewer women presenters as inevitable. Excluding the rearranged Women’s Africa Cup of Nations from the voting period disadvantaged players whose performances there might have affected the result, and the scarcity of African players among the leading candidates points to a broader representation problem.
Explained simply
The Ballon d’Or is an annual football award based on votes from journalists, coaches and national team captains. It recognises standout players, with separate awards for women and men.
Alexia Putellas plays for Barcelona and Spain. Her return from a serious knee injury and success with both teams put her back among the leading players; fellow Spain international Aitana Bonmatí has also won the women’s award in recent years.
The awards can also reflect how football is covered and recognised. Shorter women’s shortlists and limited roles for women at the ceremony have prompted questions about equality, while the voting period excluded the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, affecting African players’ chances of being considered.
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Originally published by The Guardian as “Alexia Putellas a worthy Ballon d’Or winner but the limited shortlist illustrates flaws”.