2021 Best FIFA Football Awards: Alexia Putellas named best women’s player

Alexia Putellas, the captain of Barcelona Femeni and a Spanish international footballer, was named the Best Women’s Player at the 2021 Best FIFA Football Awards.

“I’m very happy and thrilled,” said the 27-year-old upon being named the Best Women’s Player. “I would like to thank all my teammates and congratulate them because this award is for all of us,” she added, paying tribute to a prolific Barcelona Femeni squad.

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Putellas won the award ahead of teammate Jennifer Hermoso and Chelsea forward Sam Kerr for leading her side to a treble in 2021. She had earlier won the Ballon d’Or Féminin (Women’s Ballon d’Or) in November 2021 for her contributions to women’s football.

Putellas captained Barcelona Femeni for much of the 2020/21 season, and Barcelona finished the season 15 points ahead of rivals Real Madrid. The landmark season saw Barcelona Femeni secure a whopping 99 points out of a possible 102: they won all but one of their games.

Barcelona also scored a mind-blowing 167 goals in their 34 game Primera División Femenina de Fútbol season, conceding only 15. Putellas herself contributed 18 goals in the league, with her teammate Jennifer Hermoso being crowned the top scorer with 31 goals.

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Barcelona Femeni’s success in the domestic league was followed an emphatic win over Chelsea’s women’s team in the 2020/21 UEFA Women’s Champions League final. Barcelona demolished an intimidating Chelsea side in the final, scoring four goals and conceding none. Putellas also scored in the final via a penalty to mark the end of an astounding season, which saw her named in the UEFA Women’s Champions League squad of the season. She was also named midfielder of the season in the tournament.

The 27-year-old also went on to lead Barcelona to a 4-2 win over Levante in the final of the Copa de la Reina de Fútbol, scoring a brace in the process. She finished the tournament with the most goals, five.