8 things to know about Alexia Putellas, the Barcelona icon who equalled Messi and Cryff

Barcelona's Alexia Putellas is widely regarded as one of the greatest women to ever grace a football field

Alexia Putellas Segura, often referred to simply as Alexia, has cemented her place as one of the most outstanding female footballers of her generation. Born in Catalonia, Spain, she currently plays as a midfielder or forward for her childhood club Barcelona's Femeni team as well as the Spain women's national team.

With a career spanning over a decade, Alexia has earned numerous accolades and titles, is widely regarded as one of the greatest footballers of her time and is considered a revolutionary player in women’s football history thanks to her activities on and off the pitch.

Since joining Barcelona in 2012, Alexia has been an instrumental figure in the team's success. She has clinched multiple league titles, Copa de la Reina trophies, and UEFA Women's Champions League triumphs, contributing significantly to Barcelona's historic treble in the 2020-21 season.

Despite her popularity, there are still many things that are unknown about Alexia, so here are the eight key things to know about the Barcelona hero.

Alexia Putellas' childhood and upbringing

Alexia Putellas was born on February 4, 1994, in Mollet del Valles, Barcelona, and grew up in a family of basketball players. Despite this, her passion for football was evident from a young age. She supported FC Barcelona and often travelled with her father to watch their matches. Influenced by football stars like Andres Iniesta and Ronaldinho, she began playing football at school and later joined a club aged seven years old.

Initially playing for CF Mollet Ue, she quickly moved to Sabadell's girls' team as they were the only club in the neighbourhood with a dedicated female team. At Sabadell, she played alongside future Barcelona teammates and became a team captain despite her small stature. In 2005, she spent a year with Barcelona’s youth team, winning the Copa Catalunya and the league before joining Espanyol due to restructuring in Barcelona's women’s system.

At Espanyol, Putellas played from 2006 to 2011, advancing from the youth teams to the senior team and winning the 2010 Copa de la Reina. Her performances made her one of Spain's top young talents. In 2011, she moved to Levante, where she had a standout season, scoring 15 goals in 34 matches and further developing her skills, attracting interest from Barcelona.

Alexia Putellas Barcelona career

Alexia Putellas rejoined Barcelona in 2012 as an 18-year-old after a standout season with Levante and the death of her father. Initially signed as a forward, she quickly became a key player, helping Barcelona win their first league title and debut in the UEFA Women's Champions League. Despite an early Champions League exit, she won her first league title in May 2013 and a domestic double by securing the Copa de la Reina, where her impressive performance earned her the MVP title.

Over the years, Putellas was instrumental in Barcelona's success, winning multiple league titles and Copa de la Reina trophies. She helped the team reach the Champions League quarter-finals in 2014 and semi-finals in 2017. In the 2018-2019 season, she became Barcelona's fourth captain and led the team to their first Champions League final, which they lost to Lyon. Despite the loss, she was named to the UEFA Women's Champions League Squad of the Season.

Putellas' role grew as she became Barcelona's second captain in 2019 and then the first captain in the 2021-2022 season. She led the team to a historic continental treble in 2020-2021, winning the Champions League, league, and Copa de la Reina, where she was also the top scorer and MVP. Her exceptional performances earned her the 2021 Ballon d'Or Feminin and FIFA's The Best Women's Player award.

In 2022, an ACL injury sidelined her for most of the season, but she continued to receive accolades, including retaining her Ballon d'Or and FIFA awards. She returned to action in April 2023, contributing to Barcelona's league and Champions League victories. Ahead of the 2023-2024 season, she transitioned to a forward role, becoming Barcelona's all-time leading goalscorer with 182 goals. Despite ongoing injury issues, she remains a central figure in the team's success.

Alexia Putellas' salary and net worth

Putellas was among the top three highest-paid players in the 2023 Women's World Cup, earning around $4 million annually, according to Forbes. This income is derived from both on-field and off-field earnings, including sponsorships and endorsement deals.

She was the only non-U.S. player in the top ten earners list at the World Cup and ranked third in earnings, behind multiple World Cup winners Alex Morgan and Megan Rapinoe. She has a dozen long-term endorsement deals and was featured in an Amazon Prime Video docuseries released in November 2022.

Additionally, she holds significant influence on Instagram, ranking as the sport’s second-most-influential player on the platform, according to a Nielsen report. While her net worth is unconfirmed, reports estimate it to be around $5 million, attributed to her successful career with Barcelona and endorsement deals off the field.

Alexia Putellas played for two countries

Alexia Putellas' international career began with the Catalan youth teams, where she achieved success in various age group competitions. She made her debut for the Catalan senior national team in 2016. At the international level with Spain, Putellas excelled, starting with the UEFA U-17 Women's Championship in 2010, where she helped Spain win the title. She continued to represent Spain in subsequent youth tournaments, including the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup.

Her senior national team debut came in 2013, and she quickly made an impact, scoring crucial goals in the UEFA Women's Euro and FIFA Women's World Cup tournaments. Putellas played a significant role in Spain's historic victories and their most successful World Cup campaign in 2019. She continued to excel, earning Player of the Tournament honours in the 2020 SheBelieves Cup.

In 2021, she was named one of the captains of the Spanish national team, showcasing her leadership qualities. She reached significant milestones in her international career, including becoming Spain's most-capped player in 2021 and reaching 100 caps in 2022.

Despite facing setbacks such as injury and internal squad turmoil, Putellas remained a vital figure in the team, providing crucial contributions on and off the field. Her influence extended beyond her playing abilities, as she played a role in advocating for improvements in the team's conditions and was recognised as a unifying force within the squad.

Alexia Putellas’ Personal life, girlfriend and dating history

The Spanish midfielder’s personal life has been marked by significant relationships and a deep connection with her family. She was particularly close to her father, who supported her football career despite battling heart problems. His passing just before the 2012 UEFA Women's Under-19 Championship deeply impacted her, leading to her habitual goal celebration of pointing to the sky as a dedication to him.

She is multilingual, speaking Catalan as her primary language and learning Spanish and English in school and later years, respectively. She shares her life with her pet Pomeranian named Nala, who even has her own Instagram account.

Putellas is also known for her numerous tattoos, which hold personal significance. These include Latin phrases, symbols like the Hand of Fatima and the eye of Horus, and a silhouette of her father holding her as an infant and giving her a football.

While she keeps her romantic life private, Putellas has been known to share glimpses of her relationships on social media. She was previously in a relationship with her teammate, Jennifer Hermoso. After winning the Champions League in 2023, a viral video captured her greeting her girlfriend, Olga Rios, in the stands.

Alexia Putellas’ individual awards

Alexia has amassed an impressive collection of individual awards throughout her career, solidifying her status as one of the best players in women's football history. Some of her most significant accolades include winning the Ballon d'Or Feminin in both 2021 and 2022, as well as The Best FIFA Women's Player award for the same years.

She has also been honoured with the UEFA Women's Player of the Year award for the seasons 2020-21 and 2021-22. Additionally, Putellas has received recognition from the IFFHS, being named Women's Player of the Year in 2021 and 2022, as well as Playmaker of the Year for the same years.

In club competitions, she has been awarded the UEFA Women's Champions League Player of the Season for 2021-22 and was part of the Champions League Squad of the Season in 2018-19, 2020-21, and 2021-22. Putellas has also excelled in domestic competitions, winning awards such as the Primera División MVP of the Season in 2019-20 and being named Copa de la Reina Final MVP in 2013, 2014, and 2021. She has also been the top goalscorer in the Copa de la Reina for the seasons 2020-21 and 2021-22.

Alexia has also been recognised by the Spain women's national team as the Player of the Year in 2021. Her contributions have also been acknowledged by being included in prestigious teams such as the FIFA FIFPRO Women's World 11 in 2022 and the IFFHS Women's World Team in 2021 and 2022.

How 'Queen' Alexia equalled Messi and Cruyff

Alexia Putellas has earned the moniker "La Reina" (The Queen) from fans, media, and Nike, who highlighted the nickname in a congratulatory post after her 2021 Ballon d'Or win. This title reflects her significant contributions to football both on and off the pitch, as acknowledged by teammate Mapi León in a 2022 docu-series about Putellas titled Alexia: Labor Omnia Vincit.

In recognition of her sporting achievements, Putellas was awarded the 2021 Premio Reina Letizia, Spain's National Sports Award for the best overall sportswoman which was presented to her by Queen Letizia in person in 2023.

Additionally, Putellas received the prestigious Creu de Sant Jordi, one of the highest civilian orders in Catalonia. She joined the esteemed company of other Barcelona football icons, Lionel Messi and Johan Cruyff, as recipients of this honour.

Alexia was also bestowed with the Gold Medal for Sporting Merit, one of the highest civilian orders in Barcelona, while her hometown of Mollet announced plans to award her the civic title "Per Mollet," akin to Freedom of the City, in recognition of her achievements in 2021. This accolade adds to her previous honours from Mollet, including the International Sports Award received in 2010 and 2011.

Alexia Putellas is the highest-rated player in EAFC history

In 2022, Alexia Putellas achieved a remarkable milestone in the world of football simulation video games. She was awarded an overall rating of 92 in FIFA 23, making her the highest-rated player in the game, surpassing all other players, including her male counterparts.

As the franchise transitioned in 2023 to EA Sports FC 24, Putellas maintained her stellar reputation. She retained the joint-highest overall rating in the game, standing at 91 and her player card's total statistics in FC 24 elevated her to the status of the highest-rated Ultimate Team player in the history of the franchise as EA introduced female players to its online series for the first time ever.

While Putellas' exceptional rating received widespread acclaim from fans of women's football, it also sparked some criticism from gamers who may have been less familiar with her achievements and contributions to the sport.

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