Putellas wins third Ballon d'Or; López and Coll also triumph

Alexia Putellas won her third Ballon d'Or; Vicky López retained the Kopa Trophy and Cata Coll won the Yashin Trophy at the awards ceremony in London.

Spanish women's football celebrated a historic night at the Ballon d'Or ceremony in London. Alexia Putellas, the former Barcelona captain, claimed her third Ballon d'Or award, finishing ahead of Ewa Pajor and Khadija Shaw. The midfielder now equals Aitana Bonmatí's record of three consecutive wins. "I hope to bring this recognition to Barcelona, where it belongs," Putellas said, adding a message to young players: "If you have a dream, go for it, even if you have to start from scratch."

Vicky López won the Kopa Trophy for the second consecutive year as the world's best young talent, while goalkeeper Cata Coll claimed the Yashin Trophy. Coll also finished 15th in the overall Balón d'Or rankings.

Spain's under-17 women's team secured their place in the World Cup quarter-finals with victories over Mexico, Australia and Chile, with Elena Vizuete, Ángela Gálvez and Bruna Quintana standing out. In Liga F, Atlético Madrid thrashed Valencia 4-0, Real Madrid beat Tenerife 3-2, and Eibar drew 2-2 with Madrid CFF. Thierry Henry meanwhile highlighted the need for sports equipment designed specifically for female players, calling for technological innovation to boost women's football ahead of the 2027 World Cup in Brazil.