Five awards that make us unique

History is constantly being made at Barça. The award for the Player of the Year in Europe is once again blaugrana and as such, the FC Barcelona badge harbours a unique achievement in football.  

The connection between Alexia, Messi and Iniesta

Barça are the only club to have won the award given out by UEFA in both the men's and women's category. Alexia Putellas has won it twice women's football, in 2021 and 2022 with Leo Messi having won in 2011 and 2015 and Andrés Iniesta in 2012. 

The only other club to have three different winners in the category of Player of the year is Real Madrid with Cristiano Ronaldo, Luka Modric and Karim Benzema. 

Two dream years for the Barça Women captain 

Barça and Real Madrid are the two clubs who have won the award on most occasions with five winners. That total is six for the blaugranes if we include Lieke Martens who won the prize in 2017 as a blaugrana but who had spent the previous season playing for Rosengård. 

Putelles is a worthy winner this season after a spectacular run of success over the last two years, winning the treble in 2021 and the double in 2022. 

2021 and 2022 have seen the Barça Women midfielder put in brilliant performances on a consistent basis. At the same time she has become a standard bearer for women's football and a role model for the stars of tomorrow. Alexia's win this year makes her the first women's player to claim the prize two seasons in a row.  

Pernille Harder is the only other player to have won the award twice with Barça's dominance making it clear that there is no other club like it.