When Alexia Putellas was growing up in Catalonia, Spain, women's football wasn't considered a real option for girls. She watched Barcelona games on TV at home, kicked a ball in the park and in the streets, and dreamed of following in the footsteps of stars like Andres Iniesta. She even attended summer camps run by Barcelona legend Xavi. But when her girls team was disbanded, she had to leave Barcelona's famous La Masia youth academy.
Today, Putellas is one of the greatest footballers alive — and she just made history by joining London City Lionesses in the biggest transfer the Women's Super League has ever seen.
"I'm hungry to be better day after day and to fight with my teammates for the victory," Putellas said at her unveiling.
The 32-year-old spent 14 incredible years at Barcelona, winning 38 trophies including 10 league titles and 4 European cups. She earned back-to-back Ballon d'Or awards in 2021 and 2022, the sport's highest individual honor, and helped Spain win the 2023 World Cup.
So why would a player at the very top leave all that behind? Putellas says she came to London to discover new limits. "I'm just always looking forward to better things and that's why I'm here too, because I always need to be moving as a person and a player."
She admits the move meant giving up Champions League football to join a young, growing club. But her competitive fire hasn't dimmed. Her first target? The season opener against Manchester United on September 4th.
She's still learning English — and jokes about it during press conferences. "Sorry guys, I'm learning football language. This press conference maybe came early!" But her footballing brain speaks a universal language. Her manager says she acts almost like a second coach on the pitch, reading the game one step ahead of opponents.
The journey hasn't been without hardship. A serious knee injury kept her out of Euro 2022 just before it started. That setback changed how she approaches the sport. "Since the ACL injury, I enjoy everything. It's not enjoying just having fun, it's about learning something."
Back home in Mollet del Valles, fans painted a mural of her dressed as a superhero. She has 3.4 million people following her journey on Instagram. Now, she's bringing that star power to a club still finding its footing — and hoping to inspire in a new league what she built in Spain.
"In Spain, football is the typical sport. When I was young, it was not for women, but fortunately, nowadays it is," she said. That progress is exactly what Putellas represents — proof of how far women's football has come, and how much further it can still go.