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FIFA awarded Alexia Putellas the Best Women’s Player for 2022.
In the 2022 presentation, Barcelona’s Alexia Putellas, who won the award in 2021, defended her title as the Best FIFA Women’s Player.
Putellas is the current back-to-back Ballon d’Or winner for 2021 and 2022, and her most recent honour only strengthens her position as the world’s finest female player.
It is astounding that the Spaniard hasn’t participated in the competition since sustaining an ACL injury in June. Her hopes of inspiring Spain to succeed at a significant international competition were dashed by that, but up to that moment, her performances for Barcelona had already had a profound impact on 2022.
Barcelona had a flawless season in Spain in 2021–2022, winning all of their games. The club scored 159 goals while only giving up 11, and Putellas had her greatest individual season yet with 34 goals scored across all competitions.
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To complete a domestic treble, the Catalans also easily won the Cup de la Reina and the Supercopa de Espana Femenina. They made it to their second straight Champions League final but lost to Lyon in a battle of real giants, coming one victory short of a quadruple.
Putellas won the FIFA award ahead of Beth Mead and finished ahead of Alex Morgan, a resurgent American player who had just been beaten by England forward to the Ballon d’Or.
In December, the 29-year-old midfielder sped her ACL rehabilitation by starting to run on grass at Barcelona’s training facility, increasing the likelihood that she would be totally healthy by the season’s finish.
Her backing for the 15 players who declined to be called up by current Spain coach Jorge Vilda, however, leaves her World Cup participation in 2023 in doubt.
On top of the world. 💫
@alexiaputellas has been crowned #TheBest FIFA Women’s Player 2022! pic.twitter.com/Wtcgg8SUmO— FIFA Women's World Cup (@FIFAWWC) February 27, 2023