The world of football surrenders to Alexia Putellas again. For the second time in a row, the Barça player was once again awarded the Ballon d'Or, the prestigious prize that recognizes the best on the planet. After becoming the first Spanish woman to do so last year, Alexia, at 28, continues to make history.
No other player had reissued the award before, not even when France Football magazine shared the award with FIFA. Among the men, only seven legends (Leo Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Marco Van Basten, Michel Platini, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, Kevin Keegan and Johan Cruyff) could boast of having achieved it, one more example of the impact that the Mollet of the Vallès in women's football, already an icon with her exemplarity on and off the field, and with an innate talent.
The night at the Théâtre Du Châtelet in Paris promised strong emotions and the predictions came true again. It doesn't matter that Alexia was at the gates of repeating the Champions League, or that she is going through the most difficult moment of her career due to the serious knee injury that has kept her away from the pitch. The current Ballon d'Or values the most decisive soccer player of last season and for the specialists who cast their votes, among the nominees there was no discussion.
Wearing a black dress with golden touches -a clear nod to the Ballon d'Or- and accompanied by a large representation of the Blaugrana led by Joan Laporta, the prudent Blaugrana captain took the stage emotionally. She did so speaking in three languages (Catalan, Spanish and English) and often using the first person plural. She always has her companions in mind.
"I'm very happy to be here again. When we managed to win the first one a year ago, I decided to try to improve myself to put myself at the service of the team. To be rewarded in this way makes me proud," she said, also grateful to the club. the coaching staff and the president, who applauded furiously when Alexia finished her first intervention with an impeccable speech. She also remembered the world attendance records achieved at the Camp Nou in the Champions League matches.
With a broken voice, when he spoke of his family - his mother and sister were present again - he did not hide the sadness he feels for missing the entire current season due to a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left leg last June, a few days before starting the European Championship in England, which will make him miss the entire course. "The recovery is going well, but I'm not going to deny that I miss doing what I like the most. These last few months haven't been going the way we want them to. I hope that the next time I have to speak it will be on the pitch."
Putellas sent a congratulatory message to the English federation for the organized tournament and for their commitment to women's football. In her parliament there was no mention of the national team or the Spanish federation -Alexia supports the 15 soccer players who gave up the red until there are no relevant changes-. Without saying anything, she said everything.
Alexia led the Blaugrana to the conquest of the treble in Spain (League, Copa de la Reina and Supercopa) and also stood out as a scorer. Her 34 goals and 18 assists in 42 official matches, plus the eight goals she scored with the national team, are numbers more typical of a striker than a midfielder.
She competed with the players of Olympique de Lyon and with Beth Mead (the second most voted), Golden Boot and MVP of the European Championship when proclaimed champion with England. Her rivals watched from their seats who is still the queen. Two icons of women's football such as Ada Hegerberg and Megan Rapinoe won the first two editions of the Ballon d'Or. Now Alexia does it twice, a mirror for thousands of girls who have her as a reference.
