Barcelona legend Alexia Putellas says emotional goodbye: “I feel a huge emptiness”

A blazing sun beat down on Alexia Putellas, the Queen of Barcelona women’s soccer, on the day she said goodbye to the club she helped transform into a global powerhouse.

The contrast with Lionel Messi’s emotional departure in the summer of 2021 could not have been sharper. Messi’s farewell unfolded in the dimly lit Auditorium 1899. Alexia’s was all light.

Flanked by her two Ballon d’Or trophies, with a possible third still to come, Putellas stepped onto the Spotify Camp Nou field, returning once more to the stadium she and her teammates helped fill time and again during the rise of Barça Femení.

The most decorated player in club history leaves behind a staggering résumé: 10 Liga F titles, 10 Copa de la Reina trophies, six Spanish Super Cups and four Women’s Champions League crowns.

The ceremony began with the video Putellas used Tuesday to announce her departure.

“It’s very difficult to explain,” said the Mollet del Vallès native. “Yesterday was an incredibly emotional day. Honestly, the entire season has been emotional because of everything that’s happened, because I started wondering whether this could be the last one.”

“I feel a huge emptiness right now. It’s complicated. There isn’t one single reason why this is the right moment to leave. But there are a lot of gray areas tied to the standards I demand from myself, mixed with the emotional side of things.”

Putellas explained that her love for Barcelona ultimately shaped the decision.

“Because of what Barça means to me, I felt that continuing any longer could blur the path we built together,” she said. “Winning that fourth Champions League made me realize it was the perfect moment to say goodbye.”

Putellas reflects on legendary career

Putellas admitted she rarely stopped to appreciate the magnitude of what she was accomplishing during her career because of the relentless demands of elite soccer.

“I never would have believed all of this could happen,” she said. “When people recently asked me about the titles I’d won, I honestly didn’t know how many there were. We were always chasing the next one, and then the next one after that.”

“There’s sadness in not fully enjoying it along the way,” she added. “But at the same time, you also feel satisfied because you achieved the goals you set for yourself.”

The two-time Ballon d’Or winner said she promised herself she would finally open up emotionally during the farewell after holding back throughout the season out of respect for her teammates.

“I told myself that today I would speak from the heart,” Putellas said. “For months, I felt I needed to protect the team and my teammates. I still believed I could contribute, but when I weighed everything together, I felt this was the perfect moment.”

For Putellas, one thought helped bring peace to the decision.

“It’s important for me to know the team will keep moving forward,” she said. “They’ll continue winning.”