Alexia Putellas wins women's Ballon d'Or award over 3 Canadians, others
CBC
Alexia Putellas won the women's Ballon d'Or award for the first time on Monday after an outstanding season with Barcelona and Spain.
The 27-year-old midfielder helped Barca win the treble and scored 26 goals and 16 assists in 42 games overall. She netted in the Champions League final against Chelsea, and in August she was named UEFA women's player of the year.
"I'm very emotional, it's a very special moment," she said at the Paris ceremony through a translator. "I would like to start by thanking all my teammates, especially my current [Barcelona] teammates. For me it's a collective success."
The only previous women's award winners are Norway striker Ada Hegerberg in 2018, and U.S. forward Megan Rapinoe in 2019. The 2020 awards were cancelled because the coronavirus pandemic disrupted the season.
Christine Sinclair, Ashley Lawrence and Jessie Fleming, three stalwarts of Canada's Olympic gold medal-winning side were in the mix to be voted world's top soccer player — the first time Canadians have been nominated for the prestigious award.
The men's award was to follow later Monday.
WATCH | CBC Sports' Signa Butler discusses the Canadian nominees:
