Putellas walked into a hotel room in Maidstone to face the English media for the first time, greeted by a packed room with not a single empty seat.
The two-time Ballon d’Or winner uttered a simple “woah” as she opened the door and took in the sight of journalists eager to meet her.
Known as “La Reina” — the queen — in Spain, Putellas is considered one of the greatest players of her generation by supporters and pundits alike.
She captained Barcelona to a fourth Women’s Champions League title in May and is a World Cup winner with the Spanish national side.
Her move to London City Lionesses this summer has been widely described as the biggest signing in WSL history, yet she faces the same everyday uncertainties as anyone relocating abroad.
Putellas was born in Mollet del Valles in the province of Barcelona and grew up watching matches at the Nou Camp, idolising Andres Iniesta, Rivaldo, and Ronaldinho.
She attended summer football camps run by Xavi and played for local side CE Sabadell before spending a year at La Masia, Barcelona’s famous youth academy.
After spells at Espanyol and Levante, she returned to Barcelona in 2012, beginning a 14-year career at her childhood club during which she won 38 trophies including 10 league titles and four European cups.
Putellas was awarded back-to-back Ballon d’Or crowns in 2021 and 2022, helped Spain win the 2023 World Cup, and finished as a runner-up at Euro 2025 with her national side.
Despite that remarkable record, she insists her development as a footballer is far from finished, saying: “Yeah, of course. Always. Day after day, I want to learn things. That’s the way I see this job. Just keep going, never stop and be as good as I can.”
She described her move to London City as a chance to “find where my limits are” as a player, embracing the challenge of joining a club in its relative infancy.
Her focus ahead of the new season is sharp and unambiguous, with her eyes fixed firmly on London City’s WSL opener against Manchester United on 4 September.
Manager Eder Maestre has described Putellas as a secondary coach on the training pitch, someone with the ability to orchestrate the way an entire team plays.
“In my opinion, if I give you a pass without speaking, you have information,” she explained, crediting Barcelona’s style of play for sharpening her footballing intelligence over the years.
Her competitive edge was on full display throughout the media day, joking about beating team-mate Freya Godfrey at a London Underground-themed board game gifted by BBC Sport.
That winning mentality was reshaped by an anterior cruciate ligament injury that ruled her out of Euro 2022, giving her a new appreciation for every moment on the pitch.
“Since the ACL injury, I enjoy everything. It’s not enjoying just having fun, it’s about learning something, and then I enjoy learning that thing,” she reflected.
Off the pitch, Putellas has been navigating the very ordinary challenges of settling into a new city, from house hunting to coping with London’s notorious traffic.
“I have been looking for an apartment. [It’s] not cheap. Well, in Barcelona, it’s not cheap as well!” she said, laughing at the universal frustration of city living.
She has tried a full English breakfast and drawn the line at baked beans, while her TikTok algorithm is already introducing her to essential British vocabulary, including the word “innit.”
Best friend and team-mate Jana Fernandez is expected to help Putellas adapt quickly, alongside fellow Spaniards including summer signing Mapi Leon, who arrived from Barcelona.
Despite her global fame, a 3.4 million Instagram following, and a superhero mural painted in her hometown, Putellas remains disarmingly grounded and quick to deflect attention with self-deprecating humour.
“I was just like another team-mate and so I feel like that, even if they call me ‘La Reina,'” she said, dismissing any suggestion she ever considered herself above those around her.
London City Lionesses kick off their WSL season against Manchester United on 4 September, and all eyes will be on their most high-profile recruit to deliver on her considerable promise.
