Alexia Putellas has won the Ballon d'Or for a third time, drawing level with the record for the award, according to Sky Sports. The broadcaster reported the result on Tuesday, 27 October 2026, as part of its coverage of this year's ceremony.
Eder Maestre, who plays for London City Lionesses, gave her reaction to Putellas' win in an interview with Sky Sports. The broadcaster published her response alongside its ceremony coverage.
Sky Sports described the honour as history-making in the Women's Super League, the competition in which Putellas plays. The network also carried the moment she was named the winner.
Why it matters
A third Ballon d'Or places Putellas at the top of the award's roll of honour, where she now shares the record. Sky Sports framed the achievement as significant for the WSL as well as for the player, since the league is where she has built the career that the award recognises.
The reaction from Maestre, a fellow professional in the English game, shows how the result landed among players in the same competition. Her comments were part of the same Sky Sports output that covered the ceremony.
A ceremony shared with the men's award
The 2026 Ballon d'Or ceremony was not solely about Putellas. Sky Sports reported that Harry Kane claimed the men's Ballon d'Or at the same event, and the broadcaster quoted him thanking supporters after the win, describing the honour as something beyond what he had imagined.
Sky Sports also rounded up other winners from the evening, naming Lamine Yamal and Bukayo Saka among those recognised. The broadcaster's coverage included the moment Putellas was confirmed as the women's winner.
The ceremony took place against a busy sporting backdrop. Sky Sports' coverage also touched on a heated exchange of hugs after the draw between PSV and Feyenoord, and on refereeing debates from the weekend's fixtures, including whether Ipswich's Diop should have been sent off against Forest, whether Rogers should have seen red for a foul on Gallagher, and Cole Palmer's red card against Spurs. None of these items relate to the Ballon d'Or result itself, but they appeared in the same round-up of the broadcaster's output.
What to watch
Attention now turns to how Putellas and her club carry the recognition through the rest of the season, with Sky Sports continuing to follow the WSL campaign.
