MADRID – Spanish international and FC Barcelona player Alexia Putellas won the Women’s Golden Ball for the 2021-2022 season on Monday. She also received this prize during the third edition last year.
It confirms her as a major star of world women’s football. After a flawless season at Barcelona, the Spanish wins the award again and becomes a legend. With 34 goals in 43 games, Alexia Putellas continued to surprise the world with the excellent play until she got injured. It’s these numbers that helped her win the UEFA Best Player of the Year and the 2021 Golden Ball.
The 28-year-old Barca captain, who is currently recovering from a serious knee injury, has again received the prestigious trophy awarded by the sports magazine France Football.
First Spaniard to win Golden Ball twice
With her second consecutive ‘Golden Ball’ (2021 and 2022), Putellas becomes the first Spanish footballer, male or female, to win this award twice. Only Luis Suárez won the Golden Ball in 1960.
The first woman to win Golden Ball twice
Moreover, she is the first woman to win the Golden Ball in two consecutive editions, after seven men: the Dutchman Johan Cruijff (1973-74), the Englishman Kevin Keegan (1978-79), the German Karl-Heinz Rummenigge (1980 -81), Frenchman Michel Platini (1983-85), Dutchman Marco van Basten (1988-89), Leo Messi (2009-12 and 2019-21) and Cristiano Ronaldo (2013-14 and 2016-17).
The Spanish from Mollet del Vallès (Barcelona), who received the prize from the former Ukrainian striker Andriy Shevchenko, is rewarded for an almost perfect course, with the only flaw being the defeat in the final of the ‘Champions’ against the French Lyon. Despite this, she was named ‘MVP’ (Best Athlete of the Season) here, finishing as the top scorer with 11 goals.
34 goals in 42 matches
Together with FC Barcelona, Putella achieved the Liga, Copa de la Reina and Supercopa de España – finishing the season with 34 goals in 42 official games, in which she also provided 18 assists. Only the knee injury just before the start of the European Championship in England frustrated the year of Putellas, who nevertheless received the recognition of the 50 members of the French prize jury.
Emotional
Spain international and Barcelona player Alexia Putellas was emotional when she received the award. She hadn’t thought it possible anymore because of her knee injury that caused her to miss the European Championship. In addition, the Catalan admitted that she is very sorry to miss the European Championship. “I’m fine, but I don’t want to risk it. I really miss those moments, feeling like a footballer and doing what I like best,” she said almost in tears.
Despite everything, Putella was “very happy” to “return” to the gala as the winner. “When we won the first Golden Ball a year ago, I decided to try to improve this year for the benefit of the team. And it makes me proud to see it rewarded in this way. Without my teammates I wouldn’t be here; some are here, others in Barcelona, I really appreciate them, it’s a privilege to play with them,” she emphasised.
Karim Benzema
Among the men, French footballer Karim Benzema won the Golden Ball 2022. The Real Madrid player receives his first award as the best footballer in the world at the age of 34.
