When the Women’s Ballon d’Or is awarded on Monday night, a familiar face could once again walk away with the coveted trophy.
Spanish stars Aitana Bonmatí and Alexia Putellas have won the past five awards between them, with Putellas among the favourites to claim the honour for a third time.
In May, the forward, now playing for London City Lionesses, captained Barcelona to a quadruple, including their third UEFA Women’s Champions League title in four years and a seventh consecutive Liga F crown.
Bonmatí’s absence from this year’s race is largely due to a serious leg injury she suffered while on international duty in November 2025.
So, can Putellas triumph again, further underlining Spain’s growing dominance of women’s football? Or can one of the other 29 nominees deny her another title?
Why have Spain dominated the award?
The reasons are clear.
At club level, Barcelona have established themselves as one of the most dominant sides in women’s football.
The Catalan club have reached seven of the past eight Champions League finals, winning four, while claiming the domestic league title every season since 2019-20. During that period, they have finished an average of 15 points ahead of the runners-up.
Spain’s national team have also enjoyed remarkable success, winning the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, finishing runners-up to England at Euro 2025 and claiming the Nations League title last December after beating Germany in the final.
Putellas has been central to that success, scoring 21 goals and providing 13 assists during Barcelona’s outstanding campaign.
Beyond her statistics, her influence as captain of an already formidable side strengthens her case for another Ballon d’Or.
With 38 trophies already to her name, the 2021 and 2022 winner appears well placed to claim the award again.
“Give it to her!” Spanish football expert Guillem Balague told BBC Sport. “Along with Marta, she is the best player in history. No doubt she was the best player in this campaign – and she won everything!”
Spain have six players on the 30-woman shortlist, more than any other nation, while eight members of Barcelona’s starting line-up in the Champions League final are in contention.
They include striker Claudia Pina, who recently scored four goals against Real Madrid, goalkeeper Cata Coll and midfielder Patri Guijarro.
Who could challenge the favourite?
Although Putellas is now playing in England’s Women’s Super League (WSL), Jamaica striker Khadija Shaw could make a strong case for the award.
Shaw scored 21 league goals last season to help Manchester City win their first WSL title in a decade. She added five goals in the FA Cup as City completed the domestic double.
The Jamaican has finished as the WSL’s leading scorer for three consecutive seasons, recording 90 goals since joining City in the summer of 2021. Her performances earned her a lucrative four-year contract in June.
“We haven't had a major tournament but there are some amazing players on the list,” former England international Ellen White said. “I would love to see Shaw up there – brilliant goalscoring.”
Shaw is one of five Manchester City players nominated, a significant improvement on last season, when the club had no representatives. However, their absence from last season’s Champions League could count against them.
Arsenal forward Alessia Russo is another contender. She finished second behind Shaw in the WSL scoring charts and impressed in the Champions League, netting nine goals.
Russo placed third in last year’s Ballon d’Or voting, behind Bonmatí and her Arsenal team-mate Mariona Caldentey.
However, Arsenal’s elimination by Lyon in the Champions League semi-finals this year could weaken her chances of winning the award.
Another possible challenger comes from Barcelona, with Poland international Ewa Pajor enjoying an outstanding campaign.
The 29-year-old scored 11 goals in 10 Champions League appearances last season, including a hat-trick in the final against Lyon.
Pajor also won the Women’s Gerd Müller Trophy as the season’s leading goalscorer and finished eighth in the overall Ballon d’Or rankings.
With such an impressive record, she could emerge as a serious contender to end Putellas’ anticipated triumph and Spain’s hold on the award.
