When the draw for the first ever league phase of the Women's Champions League was made back in September, there were a lot of ties that caught the eye. From the repeat of last year's semi-final between eventual champions Arsenal and eight-time winners Lyon, to the return of Mary Earps to Old Trafford as her current side, Paris Saint-Germain, faced former club Manchester United, it was a draw that certainly did not disappoint. But no fixture drew the attention quite like that which will take place on Thursday at Stamford Bridge, between Chelsea and Barcelona.
Ousmane Dembele, Harry Kane, and Lamine Yamal are all prominently featured among the 11 nominees for The Best FIFA Men's Player 2025. The nomination sets up another potential battle between Dembele and Yamal, who recently went head-to-head for the 2025 Ballon d'Or, an award Dembele ultimately won. And there's a showdown between England Lionesses hero Alessia Russo and Aitana Bonmati for the women’s gong.
The stacked 2025 FIFPRO Women's World 11 was released Monday, with Arsenal, Chelsea and Barcelona leading the way with three players each. Arsenal sprung an unexpected upset to win the women's Champions League, while Barcelona claimed yet another Liga F title. There were no Americans nominated and just one NWSL player included.
Barcelona's incredibly dominant women's team suffered their earliest Liga F defeat in 11 years on Sunday as they were shockingly beaten 1-0 at Real Sociedad. The hosts have made a flying start to the new campaign, sitting third in the table after this win, but this was a hugely surprising result - representing just a fifth league loss for the Catalans since the beginning of the 2019-20 season.
Alessia Russo is one of 11 Lionesses on the list of nominees for this year's FIFPRO Women's World 11 which also includes seven players from the Spain side England beat in the European Championship final - but not Mariona Caldentey, who put La Roja ahead in that game and finished as runner-up to Aitana Bonmati at the Ballon d'Or.
Jenni Hermoso has been recalled to the Spain squad by new head coach Sonia Bermudez. The legendary forward, who is her country's all-time leading goalscorer, was caught up in the Luis Rubiales scandal which accompanied La Roja's World Cup triumph in 2023. She is now stepping back into the fold alongside former Barcelona team-mate Mapi Leon, who sees a three-year exile from the international arena brought to a close.
Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) president Rafael Louzan has argued that Barcelona and Villarreal’s upcoming match in Miami is part of a broader plan to reward global fans and expand La Liga's international reach. However, he revealed that the Women’s Super Cup, originally proposed to be held in the United States from January 20 to 25, could not go ahead after Real Madrid refused to approve the move.
Barcelona Femeni captain Alexia Putellas created Women's Champions League history on Wednesday as her goal against Roma saw her leapfrog former striker Jenni Hermoso and three-time Ballon d'Or holder Aitana Bonmati. Putellas will now be eyeing further history with the dominant Catalan outfit just a month after he she received a mouth-watering offer from Paris Saint-Germain Feminines.
Tension is brewing in Spanish women’s football after Real Madrid reportedly blocked plans to hold the Women’s Super Cup in Miami. Several clubs have expressed frustration, accusing Los Blancos of halting a major financial and branding opportunity. Some even believe Madrid’s refusal stems from fear of facing Barcelona on American soil.
Alexia Putellas is back to her best for Barcelona Femini after getting rid of her injury woes in the past few years. In the final few days of the transfer window, reports from Spain mentioned that Paris Saint-Germain were ready to make a record-breaking offer for the two-time Ballon d'Or winner. The Spaniard, however, stayed put and has now shed light on PSG's interest as well as her future at Barca.
After a heartbreaking loss in the Champions League final against Arsenal last season, Barcelona have made it their mission to regain the European crown as they kicked off the new campaign with a thumping 7-1 win over Bayern Munich on Tuesday. Ballon d'Or winner Aitana Bonmati contributed with an assist while Alexia Putellas scored the opening goal of the match.
Just over four months after Arsenal stunned Barcelona in the Women's Champions League final to win their second European crown, the most prestigious club competition in the women's game is back this week, with the Gunners partaking in perhaps the most eye-catching fixture of matchday one as they prepare for a clash with eight-time winners Lyon, in a rematch of last season's semi-final.
Lamine Yamal may have fallen short in the Ballon d’Or race against Ousmane Dembele, but Barcelona president Joan Laporta insists the setback will only fuel his hunger to claim the award in future. The teenager made history with back-to-back Kopa Trophies, while Aitana Bonmati continued her dominance by lifting a third consecutive Women’s Ballon d’Or.
It's incredible to think that, four years ago, Aitana Bonmati was the subject of one of the most shocking snubs in Ballon d'Or history. After playing a starring role in Barcelona's first Women's Champions League triumph, the midfielder looked sure to be in the mix for the Golden Ball - and yet, she didn't even make the 20-player shortlist. Did she take it personally? Knowing her focus on team over individual, perhaps not, but she's certainly made herself impossible to ignore in the interim, with Bonmati claiming a third successive Ballon d'Or on Monday.
The Ballon d'Or. Love it or loathe it, it's the award every footballer in the world dreams of one day winning. And now, after a memorable 2024-25 campaign, the winner of the 2025 Women's Golden Ball has been announced: Aitana Bonmati. The Barcelona star was exceptional for her club this past year, her world-class consistency standing out as the Catalans won a domestic treble, while her performances for Spain were enough to make her the Euro 2025 Player of the Tournament.
Aitana Bonmati claimed her third successive Ballon d'Or on Monday, beating out competition from Spain team-mate Mariona Caldentey and Lionesses star Alessia Russo. The Arsenal duo got the better of Bonmati's Barcelona in this year's Champions League final but it was she who was called to the stage again in Paris, joining Lionel Messi and Michel Platini as the only other players to win the Golden Ball three years in a row.
Barcelona and Spain teenager Vicky Lopez has been named the best young women’s player in the world and has picked up the Kopa Trophy at the 2025 Ballon d’Or awards in Paris. The 19-year-old played a key role in Barcelona’s stunning season, winning Liga F and Copa de la Reina titles, and also helped Spain make it to the finals of Euro 2025 in the summer.
In the last few years, it's seemed relatively easy to predict the winner of the Ballon d'Or Feminin. In 2025, though, it feels incredibly tricky, especially after England's win over Spain in the European Championship final.
Barcelona
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