# Putellas claims third Ballon d’Or as award shortlists expose gender gap

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/alexia-putellas-a-worthy-ballon-dor-winner-but-the-limited-shortlist-illustrates-flaws/
- Published: 2026-10-27T12:32:38+00:00
- Updated: 2026-10-27T13:37:36+00:00
- Original publisher: The Guardian (publisher lean: Left)
- Original article: https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/27/alexia-putellas-ballon-dor-winner-awards-long-way-before-being-equal-moving-the-goalposts
- Topics: Africa, Europe, Football, Sport, World

## Key points

- 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.

## Summary

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.

---
Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.