Tag Archives: Copa de la Reina

Alexia Putellas Helps Lead Barcelona to Champions League Title Win Over Lyon

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Alexia Putellas is being hailed as the “Queen of Barcelona”…

The 30-year-old Spanish professional footballer and two-time Ballon d’Or winner’s teammate Lucy Bronze made that declaration after Putellas came off the bench to score the second goal in Barcelona‘s 2-0 Champions League final win over Lyon on Saturday.

Alexia PutellasPutellas fired home in stoppage time after Aitana Bonmatí had opened the scoring earlier in the second half as Barça sealed back-to-back Champions League trophies, winning the competition for a third time in four years.

“Alexia is the captain of the team and she’s the queen of Barcelona for a reason,” England defender Bronze told DAZN after the game. She’s always so confident in the team and she showed today why she is a back-to-back Ballon d’Or winner. She’s got the quality to do that in the last minute of the Champions League final when we were up against it at the end and it just sealed the win for us. It was amazing.”

Barça — who boasted the lion’s share of the 50,827 attendees at San Mamés in Bilbao, which was a record for a Women’s Champions League final — had never beaten French champions Lyon in four previous attempts.

Two of those defeats came in Champions League finals, in 2019 and 2022, and there was a feeling they needed to beat the eight-time European champions to really establish themselves as one of the best teams ever.

“We knew that’s what we needed to be a club that really made history,” Bronze said.

“It’s hard to win it once, but to do it back-to-back, Lyon showed how difficult it is and this team has finally done that. I think we go down in history as one of the best teams in Europe.”

Success in Europe follows a domestic treble — Liga F, the Copa de la Reina and the Spanish Supercopa — as Barça win the quadruple for the first time in the club’s history.

Putellas, who signed a new two-year contract earlier this week, said winning back-to-back European trophies and all four trophies was the target set at the start of the campaign.

“Our objective was to win four out of four,” the Spain international told TVE. “After the Champions League final last season, we said we wanted to be here in Bilbao because we knew what it would mean. We can’t ask for anything else. We have achieved everything we wanted. Every minute of sacrifice has been worth the effort — and I’d say that not after the game, but before, just entering in the stadium, with all the support we had here, it was worth it.”

Ballon d’Or owner Bonmatí also praised the role of the travelling support in the north of Spain.

“It’s incredible … just incredible,” she told TVE. “It feels like Camp Nou, [the Olympic Stadium in] Montjuic or the Johan [Cruyff Stadium]. All we can say is thanks to the fans, we love them so much. No, [winning the quadruple has not sunk in yet]. I am on cloud nine right now. It is an historic day which we will remember forever.”

Victory over Lyon also signals the end of an era for coach Jonatan Giráldez, who will join NWSL side Washington Spirit next month.

Giráldez leaves after winning 10 trophies out of 12 during three years in charge, reaching the Champions League final in each of those seasons.

“It’s impossible [to imagine a better send off],” he told TVE. “It’s a dream day. It is difficult to explain with words the feeling I have right now. It is such a special moment. I am proud of all the players, the staff and fans that have been here. It is one of happiest days of my life.”

“I hope the night goes on for a long time,” Giráldez continued. “That we can enjoy it and celebrate with everyone who is here because it’s an unforgettable day.”

Alexia Putellas Wins Ballon d’Or Feminin for Second Consecutive Year

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Alexia Putellas has earned a place in soccer history…

The 28-year-old Spanish professional footballer and Barcelona midfielder has won the Ballon d’Or Feminin for the second consecutive year, becoming the first woman to win the award twice since it launched in 2018.

Alexia PutellasPutellas was named the best women’s player in the world at the Monday gala in Paris despite being sidelined since June with a torn anterior cruciate ligament. 

She finished ahead of Arsenal‘s Beth Mead and Chelsea‘s Sam Kerr, who were second and third, respectively.

“Without my teammates this would not have been possible,” Putellas said after receiving the award. “I want to thank the staff and the coach and everyone involved at Barcelona.

“I’m very happy to be back here and pleased because a year ago I was able to win this prize and it pushed me to want to be even better.”

Prior to her injury in the summer, Putellas captained Barcelona to a third successive Primera Division title. The Catalan side made history by winning all 30 of their league games throughout the 2021-22 campaign.

She also led Barcelona to success in the Spanish Super Cup and the Copa de la Reina to complete a domestic treble, although they came up short in the Champions League.

Putellas’ strike in the final was not enough to stop French side Lyon from beating Barcelona 3-1 in Turin.

However, after scoring 11 goals in the Champions League, more than any other player in the competition, Putellas was later named UEFA Women’s Player of the Year ahead of Mead and Lena Oberdorf.

In addition to those 11 goals in Europe, she scored 18 league goals from midfield, four in the Copa de la Reina and one in the Super Cup.

Putellas had hoped success would follow for Spain in the summer, but she tore her left ACL in training with the national team ahead of the European Championship in England.

She has not played since and is expected to remain out of action for several more months.

Last year, Putellas became the first Spanish winner of a Ballon d’Or since Luis Suarez in 1960. She was also named the Best FIFA Women’s Player.

The Ballon d’Or Feminin was launched in 2018 when it was won by Lyon’s Ada Hegerberg. Megan Rapinoe won it the following year before it was suspended in 2020 because of the pandemic.

Alexia Putellas Claims This Year’s ‘The Best FIFA Women’s Player’ Award

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It’s a special third for Alexia Putellas…

The 27-year-old Spanish footballer, a midfielder for Barcelona and Spain, has won The Best FIFA Women’s Player award for 2022, marking her third individual award in the last six months.

Alexia PutellasPutellas previously won the Ballon d’Or Feminin in November and was named UEFA Women’s Player of the Year in August.

Chelsea manager Emma Hayes was awarded The Best FIFA Women’s Coach award after a year in which she won the domestic Treble and made it to the Champions League final.

Canada and Portland Thorns‘ Christine Sinclair was awarded The Best FIFA Special award while Chile and Lyon‘s Christiane Endler was awarded The Best FIFA Women’s Goalkeeper award.

“This belongs to everyone,” Putellas said after receiving the award. “I hope we can continue with the same or even more motivations this year and we can be very successful again.

“This is the work of many years. 2021 was perfect. We only hope to finish this year the same way.”

Putellas fought off strong competition from teammate Jennifer Hermoso and Chelsea’s Sam Kerr for Monday’s award — the same two finalists for the Ballon d’Or Feminin.

Putellas helped Barca to a Treble-winning 2020-21 season in which they won the Primera Divsion, the Copa de la Reina and took home the Champions League trophy for the first time in their history.

Meanwhile, several Latina players were named to the FIFA Women’s World XI team, including Endler, Argentina’s Estefania Banini and Brazil’s Marta.

FIFA Women’s World XI
Christiane Endler – Lyon, Chile
Lucy Bronze – Manchester City, England
Wendie Renard – Lyon, France
Millie Bright – Chelsea, England
Magdalena Eriksson – Chelsea, Sweden
Estefania Banini – Atletico Madrid, Argentina
Carli Lloyd – NJ/NY Gotham, United States
Barbara Bonansea – Juventus, Italy
Vivianne Miedema – Arsenal, Netherlands
Marta – Orlando Pride, Brazil
Alex Morgan – San Diego Wave, United States

Alexia Putellas Becomes First Spanish Ballon d’Or Winner Since 1960

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Alexia Putellas has earned her place in Spanish sports history…

The 27-year-old Spanish footballer and Barcelona midfielder has become the first Spain international to win the Ballon d’Or since 1960 after leading her club to the Treble this year.

Alexia Putellas Putellas was named the best women’s player in the world on Monday as she received the Ballon d’Or Feminin.

Putellas, who was also named UEFA Women’s Player of the Year in August, is the first Spanish winner since Luis Suarez in 1960.

“Honestly, it is a bit emotional. Very special. It is great to be here with all my teammates. We’ve lived and experienced so much together, especially last season,” she said.

“I would like to thank all my teammates, all my teammates throughout my career and the ones I have right now. This is an individual prize but football is a team sport.

“I’d also like to thank the club of course. It is a real privilege to be here representing Barcelona.”

Barca teammate Jennifer Hermoso came in second place while Chelsea‘s Sam Kerr was voted third.

After a record-breaking year, Barca had an unmatched five players among the 20 finalists, with Hermoso, Lieke Martens, Sandra Panos and Irene Paredes also nominated for the award.

However, Putellas was deemed the outstanding player of a side, which won the Primera Division, the Copa de la Reina and the Champions League for the first time ever, beating Chelsea 4-0 in the final.

The midfielder becomes just the third woman to win the Ballon d’Or after Ada Hegerberg, the inaugural winner in 2018, and Megan Rapinoe, who won it in 2019. There was no award in 2020 due to the pandemic.

Putellas, 27, scored 26 goals last season as Barca clinched the Treble and she has continued her fine form into the current campaign, netting 14 goals in 13 appearances.

After spending one year at Barca’s youth academy when she was younger, Putellas spent her formative years at Espanyol, breaking into the first team at 16 before signing for Levante at 17.

In 2012, aged 18, she returned to Barca. Over the last decade, she has seen the team turn professional and played a key role as they have transformed into the best team in Europe.

She had made close to 400 appearances for the club and, after the departure of Vicky Losada to Manchester City in the summer, was recently named as the new first-team captain.

2021 Ballon d’Or Feminin rankings

  1. Alexia Putellas
    2. Jennifer Hermoso
    3. Sam Kerr
    4. Vivianne Miedema
    5. Lieke Martens
    6. Christine Sinclair
    7. Pernille Harder
    8. Ashley Lawrence
    9. Jessie Fleming
    10. Fran Kirby
    11. Magda Eriksson
    12. Christiane Endler
    13. Stina Blackstenius
    14. Sam Mewis
    15. Irene Paredes
    16. Ellen White
    17. Kadidiatou Diani
    18. Marie-Antoinette Katoto
    19. Sandra Panos
    20. Wendie Renard

Vicky Losada Joins Manchester City on Two-Year Deal

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Vicky Losada is heading to the City…

The 30-year-old Spanish football midfielder and former Barcelona captain has joined Manchester City on a two-year deal, the club has announced.

Vicky Losada

Losada announced in June that she’d leave the Catalan club after 16 years, calling it “the most difficult decision” of her life.

She led Barca to a treble-winning season this year after securing the Primera Iberdrola, the Champions League and the Copa de la Reina.

“It was very hard to me because I’ve been playing for Barca since I was 14 years old. Sometimes you feel like you need a change and close a chapter in my life and when the offer came from England it made things easier for me and also winning the Champions League definitely brought me the security to make the decision,” Losada told ESPN about her decision to move to City.

“I want to be very honest to you, new girls from La Masia came up to the team. They were bringing a very good level and I wanted to get more minutes and it wasn’t happening but I was also so happy at the same time that I was always helping the team.

“I just wanted to be more important and basically happier when I wake up and I have to go to the training ground. So that was changing a little bit so I had my thoughts every night with myself and in the end it was the perfect end to a year that was unforgettable to me.”

Losada came through Barca’s academy system La Masia and spent the majority of her playing career at the club.

However, she did spend a year-and-a-half with Arsenal in the Women’s Super League where she won the league cup and the FA Cup.

She said this time with Arsenal made her eager for a return to the WSL, despite her love for her home side in Spain.

“I said all the time I was missing the English league. All these years, I came back to Barcelona because it was home for me but I am so happy to be coming back to England. It’s true that the weather never got used to that but I think I’ll be able to handle it,” she added.

“I think it is a very competitive league and they have very good players. Every year the best players in the world not just English or British players want to go to the WSL and also I think the structure, I can see it from here. We’re missing a lot of things in the Spanish league — visibility, TV, fans. I really think they’re doing a massive job and they’re looking after women’s football.”

Losada leaves Barca with six league titles, one Champions League title, seven Copa de la Reina titles, one Supercopa Femenina title and eight Copa Catalunya titles.