Alexia Putellas facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Alexia Putellas

Putellas in 2026
Personal information
Full name	Alèxia Putellas i Segura
Date of birth	(1994-02-04) 4 February 1994 (age 32)
Place of birth	Mollet del Vallès, Catalonia, Spain
Height	1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)
Position(s)	Midfielder
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2008–2010	Espanyol B
2010–2011	Espanyol	25	(3)
2011–2012	Levante	34	(15)
2012–2026	Barcelona	350	(156)
2026–	London City Lionesses	4	(1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Alèxia Putellas i Segura (born 4 February 1994), widely known as Alexia, is a world-famous Spanish footballer from Catalonia. She plays as an attacking midfielder and team captain for English club London City Lionesses. She is also a star player for the Spain women's national team. Many sports experts and fans regard her as one of the best female footballers ever to touch a football.

Alexia grew up loving football and worked hard to become an elite playmaker. She played for several top clubs in Spain, including Espanyol, Levante, and Barcelona. While starring for Barcelona, she won eight league titles, eight Copas de la Reina, and four UEFA Women's Champions League crowns. Her sharp vision and wonderful goals helped Barcelona win major trophies all across Europe.

Her amazing play brought her the biggest individual prizes in sports. She won the prestigious Ballon d'Or Féminin three times and collected The Best FIFA Women's Player award twice. Alexia also served as an inspiring leader for Spain. She helped lead her country to their historic triumph at the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup. Putellas is known worldwide for her dedication, teamwork, and dazzling ball control on the pitch.

Early Life and Playground Days

Alexia Putellas was born on 4 February 1994 in Mollet del Vallès, a town in the province of Barcelona. Her parents are Jaume Putellas Rota and Elisabet Segura Sabaté, and she has a younger sister named Alba. Her entire family loved sports very much. They played basketball, but young Alexia quickly found herself drawn to kicking a football. She also enjoyed trying out roller hockey, playing tennis, and doing traditional Catalan folk dance.

Falling in Love with Football

Alexia fell in love with football while playing during recess at school. She often played games against all the boys on the concrete schoolyard. She was so skilled at dribbling that people joked she went around other children like they were broomsticks. Her family were huge fans of FC Barcelona. She regularly travelled with the local Mollet penya fan club to watch big games inside the famous Camp Nou stadium.

Sitting in the stands with her father, she studied the movements of superstar players. She watched how legends like Andrés Iniesta, Rivaldo, and Ronaldinho handled the ball with ease. She also followed great women players, such as French midfielder Louisa Nécib from Olympique Lyonnais. Iniesta later called Alexia a true role model who showed the very best sporting values of Barcelona.

First Clubs and School Studies

When she was seven years old, Alexia attended summer football training camps organised by midfielder Xavi. Her mother agreed to let her join a real club team if she focused properly. She tried practicing with a local boys' team first, but soon moved to the girls' academy at Sabadell. She was very mature, confident, and determined to improve every single afternoon.

Even though she loved the sport, Alexia knew women's football was still growing in Spain during her youth. To prepare for the future, she enrolled at Pompeu Fabra University in Barcelona in 2013 to study business administration. Later on, when Barcelona Femení turned fully professional in 2015, she paused her university degree to dedicate herself entirely to professional sports.

Youth Academy Adventures

Alexia began her official club journey playing on youth teams where she had to learn how to play against older players.

Sabadell Youth Years

Putellas joined Sabadell in 2001 when she was only seven years old. The club normally only took players who were at least eight, so her family had to stretch the truth slightly about her age. At Sabadell, she met other future stars like Vicky Losada and Marta Corredera. Even though she was smaller than the older girls, coaches named her a team captain because of her strong leadership.

Because she was not yet big or physically strong, she could not kick the ball great distances. Instead, she learned to outsmart opponents by thinking faster than anyone else. She became famous for finding open space on the pitch where none seemed to exist. By 2004, football had become her greatest passion in life.

La Masia and Moving to Espanyol

In 2005, Alexia achieved a childhood dream by entering La Masia, the famous youth training academy of Barcelona. She helped her youth team win the prestigious Copa Catalunya and their league division. However, Barcelona reorganized their youth system after one year, leaving no squad for her age bracket. Head coach Xavi Llorens knew she was special and predicted she would one day return to Barcelona.

Alexia then moved across the city to join the academy of Espanyol. At that time, Espanyol ran one of the top women's development programs in all of Spain. She trained alongside talented defenders Marta Torrejón and Andrea Pereira. In 2007 and 2008, her youth squads won regional championships and cup finals. She moved up to Espanyol's reserve team at age 14, proving she could easily play against adult competitors.

Early Professional Career

Alexia rose through the ranks quickly to play in the top division of Spanish women's football.

Winning Cups with Espanyol

Alexia made her debut for Espanyol's first team in 2010 when she was just 16 years old. She worked hard to earn playing time among experienced professionals. That season, she helped Espanyol lift the prestigious 2010 Copa de la Reina, defeating Rayo Vallecano 3–1 in the grand final.

In 2011, she started for Espanyol in another Copa de la Reina final against her beloved Barcelona. Espanyol fought hard across 90 minutes before losing 0–1 during extra time. Despite the defeat, sports writers across Spain identified Alexia as one of the brightest young talents in the entire nation.

A Breakthrough Year at Levante

In the summer of 2011, 17-year-old Alexia moved south to play for Levante. Levante offered a very professional training setup and had many senior international players who could teach young players how to succeed. Alexia started every single league match during the 2011–12 campaign.

Her head coach Antonio Contreras challenged her to develop her weaker right foot so defenders could not predict her next move. He also taught her how to run into open areas when she did not have the ball. Alexia had a sensational season, scoring 15 goals in 34 matches to finish as Levante's top goalscorer.

Glory Years with FC Barcelona

In July 2012, Alexia signed with Barcelona, beginning an unforgettable era filled with trophies, record crowds, and historic goals.

Building a Championship Team

Barcelona manager Xavi Llorens made Alexia his star signing in the summer of 2012. The club had just won its first league title and wanted to build a powerhouse squad capable of winning the Champions League. Putellas started as a false winger and made her debut in the 2012–13 UEFA Women's Champions League against Arsenal.

In May 2013, Alexia won her first league title with Barcelona after defeating Athletic Bilbao 2–1 at the huge San Mamés stadium in front of 25,000 cheering fans. A few weeks later, she scored an astonishing goal in the Copa de la Reina final against Prainsa Zaragoza. She dribbled past two defenders, faked out the goalkeeper, and tapped the ball into the net. Videos of the goal spread across social media, and she was voted the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the final.

Domination Across Spain

During the 2013–14 season, Barcelona went unbeaten for 27 straight matches to claim another league championship. Alexia became indispensable in attack, using clever changes of running speed to leave defenders behind. In the 2014 Copa de la Reina, she scored in every single knockout round. In the final against Athletic Bilbao, her extra-time strike sent the match to a penalty shoot-out, where she coolly slotted home the winning kick.

In the 2014–15 season, Putellas scored her first European goal against Slavia Prague. Barcelona clinched another league trophy in April 2015, and Putellas was named to the national youth draft list as the country's best central midfielder.

Becoming a European Contender

In the summer of 2015, Barcelona turned completely professional. Putellas and her teammates moved into first-class training facilities at the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper. In 2015, Alexia hit her first career four-goal match during a 10–0 win against Fundación Albacete. In Europe, Barcelona battled French giant Paris Saint-Germain in the quarter-finals, earning respect by holding them to a 0–0 draw at the Mini Estadi.

Putellas scored a brilliant hat-trick against Rayo Vallecano in October 2016. In early 2017, she helped Barcelona reach their first-ever Champions League semi-final by setting up a goal against Swedish club Rosengård. On 18 June 2017, she scored again in the Copa de la Reina final, powering Barcelona to a 4–1 win over Atlético Madrid.

Putellas was chosen as the team's fourth captain for the 2018–19 season. She scored four goals in a league match against Rayo Vallecano and guided Barcelona past Bayern Munich in the European semi-finals. On 18 May 2019, she started the 2019 UEFA Women's Champions League final against Olympique Lyonnais in Budapest. Although Lyon won 4–1, Barcelona proved they belonged among Europe's elite, and Putellas was named to the Champions League Squad of the Season.

Historic Treble and Record Breakers

On 7 September 2019, Putellas made history by scoring the first official goal at the new Estadi Johan Cruyff in a 9–1 victory over Tacón. In February 2020, she led Barcelona to the Supercopa de España title, scoring two goals in a 10–1 win over Real Sociedad. She also made her 300th appearance for the club. When the sports calendar stopped due to the global pandemic, Barcelona were crowned league champions after winning 19 of their 21 matches.

On 6 January 2021, Putellas captained Barcelona against Espanyol in the first competitive women's match ever held at the Camp Nou. She scored a towering header from a corner kick taken by Caroline Graham Hansen, becoming the first woman to score an official goal inside the legendary stadium.

The 2020–21 season was pure magic for Barcelona. On 16 May 2021, Barcelona played English champions Chelsea in the 2021 UEFA Women's Champions League final. Despite playing with a heavily bandaged thigh, Putellas scored a penalty kick and set up Aitana Bonmatí for another goal as Barcelona raced to an unforgettable 4–0 win. Two weeks later, she scored two goals in the Copa de la Reina final against Levante. This victory completed an historic continental treble for Barcelona, winning the league, the domestic cup, and the Champions League in a single season.

Ballon d'Or Winner and World Records

Putellas was officially named first captain of Barcelona before the 2021–22 season. On 25 September 2021, she scored a famous hat-trick against Valencia in just four minutes, including a strike from 40 yards away. On 29 November 2021, she was awarded the Ballon d'Or Féminin in Paris. She became the first Spanish woman to win the prize and dedicated the trophy to her late father. In January 2022, she also received The Best FIFA Women's Player trophy.

Barcelona set global records during their 2021–22 European campaign. In March 2022, 91,553 fans filled Camp Nou to watch Putellas score in a 5–2 win over Real Madrid. A month later, 91,648 fans watched Putellas score twice in a 5–1 win over Wolfsburg, setting an all-time world record attendance for women's football.

Although Barcelona fell 1–3 to Lyon in the 2022 UEFA Women's Champions League final, Putellas scored Barcelona's lone goal and finished as the tournament's top scorer with 11 goals. She finished the season with 34 goals in all competitions as Barcelona completed a perfect league season, winning every single league match.

Overcoming Knee Injury

In July 2022, right before the European Championship, Alexia suffered a serious knee tear to her ACL. She required surgery and faced a difficult recovery that lasted nearly ten months. While working hard to rebuild her strength, she attended international ceremonies to collect her second consecutive Ballon d'Or and FIFA The Best awards, becoming the first woman ever to win these honors back-to-back.

Putellas returned to the pitch on 30 April 2023, entering as a substitute to thunderous cheers from the home crowd. On 3 June 2023, she came off the bench during the 2023 UEFA Women's Champions League final in Eindhoven, helping Barcelona protect a dramatic 3–2 comeback win over Wolfsburg to lift their second European crown.

The Quadruple and Farewell to Barcelona

In the 2023–24 season, coach Jonatan Giráldez moved Putellas into forward positions, playing as a striker or false 9. In October 2023, she scored her 182nd goal for Barcelona, passing Jennifer Hermoso to become the club's all-time record goalscorer. On 25 May 2024, Putellas came on in the 92nd minute of the 2024 UEFA Women's Champions League final in Bilbao. In the 95th minute, she smashed a left-footed strike into the net to seal a 2–0 victory over Lyon, clinching a legendary four-trophy quadruple for Barcelona.

During the 2024–25 season, Putellas returned to her natural midfield position under coach Pere Romeu. She reached 200 goals for Barcelona, passing club icons like László Kubala and Luis Suárez on the club's all-time scoring charts.

Putellas played her final season for Barcelona in 2025–26. On 2 April 2026, she made her 500th official appearance for the club during a 6–0 Champions League victory against Real Madrid. On 23 May 2026, she captained Barcelona to a 4–0 win over Lyon in the 2026 UEFA Women's Champions League final, lifting her fourth European trophy. She finished her Barcelona career with 508 games and 232 goals, ranking as the club's all-time top female goalscorer.

Moving to London City Lionesses

In July 2026, Alexia decided to take on a brand new sporting challenge. She moved to England to sign a three-year contract with the ambitious Women's Super League club London City Lionesses.

She was immediately named team captain. In September 2026, she led the team onto the pitch for her league debut, helping them secure an exciting opening win against Manchester United. A few weeks later, Putellas scored her first goal in English football with a curling strike during a 2–0 home victory against Brighton & Hove Albion.

International Career with Spain

Alexia has been a cornerstone of the Spanish national team across all age divisions.

Youth Trophies and Under-17 Champions

Putellas represented Spain's youth squads starting at age 15. In 2010, she starred at the 2010 UEFA Women's Under-17 Championship, scoring in the group stage as Spain marched to victory, defeating the Republic of Ireland on penalties in the final. That win qualified Spain for the 2010 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup, where Alexia scored against Japan and helped Spain win the third-place bronze medal.

In 2011, she won the 2011 UEFA Women's Under-17 Championship for a second time, scoring twice in the semi-finals against Iceland before defeating France 1–0 in the final. In 2012, she captained the under-19 team to a silver medal finish at the 2012 UEFA Women's Under-19 Championship.

Senior Debut and Major Tournaments

Putellas made her senior debut for Spain in June 2013 against Denmark. A few weeks later, at the UEFA Women's Euro 2013, she came off the bench against England and headed home the winning goal in the 93rd minute of a thrilling 3–2 victory.

Alexia represented Spain at their first-ever World Cup appearance at the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada. She also played in every match at the UEFA Women's Euro 2017 in the Netherlands, and started all four games during the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup in France, where Spain narrowly lost 1–2 in the knockout round to the eventual champion United States.

In 2020, Alexia was named the tournament MVP at the 2020 SheBelieves Cup, scoring against Japan and England. In October 2021, she picked up her 91st senior cap, breaking the national record for most appearances for Spain. On 1 July 2022, she became the first Spanish woman to earn 100 international caps during a friendly against Italy.

Winning the World Cup in 2023

After missing Euro 2022 with her knee injury, Putellas worked hard to return in time for the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup held in Australia and New Zealand. She contributed on the pitch throughout the group stages and knockout matches. On 20 August 2023, Alexia came on in the final minutes of the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup final against England. Spain held on to win 1–0 in Sydney, making Spain the champions of the world for the first time in history.

Putellas continued to lead her country as captain. She helped Spain win the inaugural Nations League final in February 2024, earning qualification for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. At the Olympics, she scored against Nigeria and Brazil as Spain finished in fourth place. In 2025, she helped Spain reach the UEFA Women's Euro 2025 final and guided her team to retain their Nations League title.

How Alexia Plays the Game

Putellas is famous for her elegant and clever style of play. Although she is naturally left-footed, she can shoot, pass, and control the ball effortlessly with both feet.

Vision and Passing on the Pitch

Putellas plays primarily as an attacking central midfielder, often called a "number 8" or "number 10". She has outstanding vision, which means she can see where all of her teammates and opponents are moving across the whole grass surface. She uses quick short passes and through balls to send attackers running toward the goal.

Her playing style has often been compared to Barcelona legends like Andrés Iniesta and Xavi. She does not rely on pure sprinting speed. Instead, she uses quick turns, body feints, and delicate ball touches to slip past defenders. Coaches often describe her as a player who always makes the best decision under pressure.

Attacking and Defending Skills

When Barcelona or Spain attack down the wings, Alexia times her runs into the penalty area perfectly. She hides behind the opposing defenders, making it difficult for anyone to mark her. Standing 1.73 meters tall, she is very strong in the air and scores many goals with headers from corner kicks.

She also contributes to defending by working hard when her team loses the ball. She uses high pressing to close down opposing midfielders and win back possession in the opponent's half of the pitch. Her high work rate makes her a complete player in all phases of the match.

Life Off the Pitch and Community Work

Putellas is a massive sporting hero across the world and uses her fame to inspire young people.

Nickname and Honors

Fans, teammates, and sports magazines often call Alexia "La Reina", which means "The Queen" in Spanish. In 2021, the government of Catalonia awarded her the Creu de Sant Jordi, one of the highest civic medals in her homeland. She also received the Gold Medal for Sporting Merit from the city of Barcelona. In 2023, Queen Letizia of Spain presented her with the National Sports Award as Spain's top athlete.

In the village of Sant Joan les Fonts, a scenic mountain viewpoint was named the Mirador d'Alèxia Putellas in her honor. Her childhood elementary school in Mollet also named their gymnasium after her.

Popular Culture and Video Games

In 2022, a famous Italian street artist painted a large mural in Barcelona showing Alexia dressed as Superwoman above the words "Follow Your Dreams". Her image has also been featured on the world's tallest skyscraper, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, during the Globe Soccer Awards. A wax figure of her stands inside the Barcelona wax museum, and her Ballon d'Or trophies are displayed inside the FC Barcelona Museum.

Putellas made history in sports gaming as well. In the video games FIFA 23 and EA Sports FC 24, game creators gave her an overall skill rating of 92 and 91, making her one of the highest-rated players in the entire world.

The Eleven Foundation

In 2024, Alexia launched the Eleven Foundation. The foundation was created to help young girls around the world gain access to sports education, coaching, and football equipment. Alexia believes sports teach children teamwork, self-confidence, and resilience. Her foundation works to ensure that all girls, regardless of where they live, have equal opportunities to play the game they love.

Images for kids

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  Putellas with the Espanyol squad that won the 2010 Copa de la Reina

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  Putellas playing for Barcelona in 2012

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  Alexia during a league match in 2016

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  Putellas controlling the ball in 2017

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  Alexia in the 2019 Champions League final

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  Putellas in action against Real Sociedad in 2021

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  Alexia celebrating the Champions League trophy in Barcelona

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  Alexia lining up a corner kick in 2024

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  Putellas in midfield action in September 2024

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  Alexia representing the Spain national team in 2018

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  Alexia being honored for 100 caps with Spain

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  Putellas playing for Spain in 2024

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  Putellas receiving the Creu de Sant Jordi in 2021

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  Putellas receiving the Catalan Parliament Medal of Honor

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  The view from the Mirador d'Alèxia Putellas

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  Street mural depicting Alexia Putellas in Barcelona

Career Statistics

Club Performance

International Record

Major Honours Won

Club Trophies

Espanyol

• Copa de la Reina de Fútbol: 2010
• Copa Catalunya: 2008

Barcelona

• Primera División / Liga F: 2012–13, 2013–14, 2014–15, 2019–20, 2020–21, 2021–22, 2022–23, 2023–24, 2024–25, 2025–26
• Copa de la Reina de Fútbol: 2013, 2014, 2017, 2018, 2019–20, 2020–21, 2021–22, 2023–24, 2024–25, 2025–26
• Supercopa de España Femenina: 2019–20, 2021–22, 2024–25, 2025–26
• UEFA Women's Champions League: 2020–21, 2022–23, 2023–24, 2025–26
• Copa Catalunya: 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019

National Team Honours

Spain U17

• UEFA Women's Under-17 Championship: 2010, 2011

Spain Senior Team

• FIFA Women's World Cup: 2023
• UEFA Women's Nations League: 2023–24, 2025
• UEFA Women's Championship runner-up: 2025

Top Individual Awards

• Ballon d'Or Féminin: 2021, 2022, 2026
• The Best FIFA Women's Player: 2021, 2022
• UEFA Women's Player of the Year Award: 2020–21, 2021–22
• UEFA Women's Champions League Player of the Season: 2021–22, 2025–26
• UEFA Women's Champions League Midfielder of the Season: 2020–21
• UWCL Top Scorer: 2021–22
• FIFA FIFPRO Women's World 11: 2022, 2024, 2025
• SheBelieves Cup Most Valuable Player: 2020
• Creu de Sant Jordi: Awarded 2021

See Also

In Spanish: Alexia Putellas para niños

• List of women's footballers with 100 or more international caps
• List of FC Barcelona Femení players
• List of recipients of the Creus de Sant Jordi