{
  "id": 16669732,
  "title": "London City's Putellas wins record-equalling third Ballon d'Or",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/26/london-citys-putellas-wins-record-equalling-third-ballon-dor",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-26T22:35:27.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "BBC Sport",
    "slug": "bbc-sport",
    "url": "https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cqp9gky38lj3o?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Spanish football star Alexia Putellas has claimed the prestigious Ballon d'Or Feminin award for a record-equalling third time, solidifying Spain's dominance in women's football. The 32-year-old midfielder, nicknamed \"La Reina,\" captained Barcelona to a quadruple success in 2025-26, including a Champions League title, before transferring to London City Lionesses in July. Putellas joins Aitana Bonmati as the sole Spanish recipients of the award, highlighting their unparalleled success in recent years. The past six Ballon d'Or Feminin winners have all been Spanish players, with only two non-Spaniards (Ada Hegerberg and Megan Rapinoe) claiming the accolade in the past seven years. Putellas' recent victory marks a triumphant return to the pinnacle of world football after recovering from a career-threatening ACL injury in 2022. She scored 21 goals and provided 13 assists across competitions, ranking third and second in goal scoring and assists respectively in the top five European leagues. Putellas' impact on Barcelona's attacking play extended beyond her goal-scoring, as she provided crucial assists and created numerous chances, ranking among the top players in all competitions. Her move to London City Lionesses, backed by US billionaire Michelle Kang, sees her continue her journey as a world-class player.",
  "summary": "Barcelona and Spain midfielder Alexia Putellas wins the Ballon d'Or Feminin for a record-equalling third time.",
  "key_points": [
    "Alexia Putellas wins third Ballon d'Or Feminin award",
    "Spanish football star claims record-equalling achievement",
    "Putellas joins Spanish recipients of the award"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 6,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "3News",
        "title": "Ballon d'Or 2026: Lamine Yamal wins third consecutive Men’s Young Talent of the Year award",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/26/ballon-dor-2026-lamine-yamal-wins-third-consecutive-mens-young-talent",
        "published": "2026-10-26T21:23:09.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Yahoo Sports",
        "title": "Spain star Alexia Putellas wins her third women's Ballon d'Or award",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/26/spain-star-alexia-putellas-wins-her-third-womens-ballon-dor-award",
        "published": "2026-10-26T22:34:09.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "MyJoyOnline Ghana",
        "title": "Ballon d’or 2026: Harry Kane wins ahead of Kylian Mbappé, Lamine Yamal; first Englishman in 25 years",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/26/ballon-dor-2026-harry-kane-wins-ahead-of-kylian-mbappe-lamine-yamal",
        "published": "2026-10-26T23:12:08.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Punch Nigeria",
        "title": "Putellas wins third Women’s Ballon d’Or",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/26/putellas-wins-third-womens-ballon-dor",
        "published": "2026-10-26T23:16:51.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Al Jazeera",
        "title": "Harry Kane wins Ballon d’Or, ending England’s 25-year wait",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/27/harry-kane-wins-ballon-dor-ending-englands-25-year-wait",
        "published": "2026-10-27T01:20:56.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}