Alexia Putellas is experiencing one of the sweetest moments of her career. The Catalan midfielder has given an interview to Diario AS where she reviews her career, her rebirth after the serious injury that kept her away from the field, and her role as a reference for Spanish women's soccer.
But among so many reflections, there is one detail that has been especially surprising: the first salary of her footballing career. It wasn't one thousand euros, nor one hundred thousand. It was 100 euros at Espanyol, and she used it entirely to pay the highway toll that her father used every day to take her to training.
A career that began with sacrifices
While today Alexia is fighting for her third Ballon d'Or and wears the Spanish national team jersey with authority and talent, it wasn't always like this. Her beginnings were humble, like those of many girls who dreamed of playing soccer when there still wasn't a proper professional structure in women's soccer.
She herself says that it was her mother who signed her up for a team to keep her from throwing herself on the ground during recess. "Those matches in the schoolyard were like a Champions League final for me," she recalls with humor and nostalgia. From there, she went through CE Sabadell and later to Espanyol, where she made her debut in the elite.
It was at that club where she earned her first salary: 100 euros. A symbolic amount, but one that clearly reflected the lack of investment in women's soccer in those years. Instead of spending it on herself, she gave it to her father to compensate for the gas and the toll for the trip from Mollet del Vallès to the Ciutat Esportiva.
The euro cup of her redemption
In this Euro Cup, Alexia is not only performing at an exceptional level, but she is doing so after a very tough period. Her torn cruciate ligament in 2022, just before the debut in the previous continental tournament, was a devastating blow. "I woke up after the injury thinking the Euro Cup was starting," she explains.
The recovery process was long and painful. She had to learn to walk again, then to run, endure an infernal post-op... Above all, the uncertainty of not knowing if she would be able to perform as before. Alexia admits that there were moments when she needed to be alone, with the pain on the surface.
Now, fully recovered, she feels she is "at her peak" and it shows on the field: she is one of the top assist providers in the tournament, creates chances, scores goals, and leads. She does it with a smile: "I wake up every day feeling grateful. I step onto the field and enjoy myself."
From pioneer to reference
If today many girls dream of becoming footballers, it is thanks to figures like Alexia. She opened doors, broke ceilings, and normalized a path that now seems obvious, but was very uphill. "Everyone is born when they're meant to," she says with humility, not wanting to bear the weight of being an icon.
But she is. As she is also for the new generations coming on strong: Pina, Vicky, Mariona... "The talent in Spain has always been there. What was missing was investment."
Spain are world champions and could also become European champions. Alexia, from her role as a silent and constant leader, is once again at the center of everything. Although now her status is that of a global star, she never forgets that it all started with 100 euros... and a father who took her to training every day.