Barcelona Femeni captain Alexia Putellas is officially leaving the club after 14 historic seasons. The Catalan giants announced the departure of their club legend following her decision not to activate her contract’s extension clause. Born in Mollet del Vallès near Barcelona, Putellas joined the club from Levante UD Femenino in 2012 as an 18-year-old, going on to become the absolute face of women’s football during a golden era of unprecedented dominance.
Across 14 remarkable seasons, Putellas made 507 competitive appearances and scored a staggering 233 goals the highest tally in Barcelona Femeni history. Across both the men’s and women’s teams, she trails only Lionel Messi, who holds the ultimate record with 672 goals. Putellas leaves at the absolute peak of her powers, having just led Barcelona to a historic quadruple this season, capped off by a dominant 4-0 Champions League final victory over Olympique Lyonnais Féminin.
“The time has come to acknowledge that I’ve given everything for these colours,” Putellas shared in an emotional social media video. “It’s been a perfect story. We’ve taken the women’s team further than we ever imagined. At the beginning, being a soccer player wasn’t even recognised as a profession. Now I feel privileged to have been part of this change.”
Individually, Putellas completely rewritten the landscape of Spanish sports. She became the first Spanish player to win the women’s Ballon d’Or in 2021 and successfully defended the crown in 2022. Her trophy cabinet with Barcelona is legendary, featuring 10 Liga F titles, 4 UEFA Women’s Champions League crowns, 10 Copa de la Reina trophies, and 6 Spanish Super Cups. She will play her final match for the club on Wednesday against Real Sociedad before receiving an official send-off at the Camp Nou.
Now 32, the 2023 World Cup winner enters an exciting new chapter. Heavy media reports strongly link her to the Women’s Super League (WSL) with London City Lionesses—the ambitious English club owned by billionaire Michele Kang. The independent project already features her close friend Jana Fernández, a Spanish head coach in Eder Maestre, and potentially her departing Barcelona teammate Mapi León, making England the frontrunner for football’s biggest-ever transfer window.
Alexia Putellas: The Barcelona Legacy by the Numbers
| Milestone / Honor | Achievement Value | Context / Record Standing |
| Total Appearances | 507 Games | Second all-time in Barcelona history behind Melanie Serrano (516) |
| Total Goals Scored | 233 Goals | All-time top scorer for Femeni; 2nd in club history behind Lionel Messi |
| Ballon d’Or Titles | 2-Time Winner | Back-to-back global honors achieved in 2021 and 2022 |
| Champions League Titles | 4 Trophies | Capped off with a 4-0 thrashing of Lyon in the 2026 Final |
| Domestic League Titles | 10 Liga F Titles | Central pillar of domestic dominance since her 2012 arrival |
| Copa de la Reina | 10 Trophies | Solidified domestic cup dominance across over a decade |