Before London City Lionesses’ 2-1 defeat to Manchester City, the club offered a prematch photo opportunity with Alexia Putellas’ third Ballon D’or trophy. Flo Lloyd-Hughes, reporting for the Cutback, spoke to a fan that had relocated to England just to watch Putellas. The fan said: “As soon as I heard Alexia might be coming here, I moved to London.” In the same article, another fan noted: “I kept my eye on London City for a good while, but we really started in earnest when Alexia came. I just think it’s everything – it’s the person, the player, the aura.”
This fan’s response may seem startling to traditional, dyed in the wool fans but is reflective of not only Putellas’ appeal but also how women’s fans find reasons to support a club. As a relatively contemporary sport, approaches to fandom have taken an alternative path to the more traditional approach of the men’s game.
To reiterate Putellas’ success and achievements at this point in time is flogging a dead horse. Three Ballon d’Ors, ten Liga F titles, four Women’s Champions League titles and a Women’s World Cup in 2023. On paper, she is peerless on the pitch but off it, her superstardom is unparalleled in the women’s game. She stars alongside Lionel Messi in Lays adverts and Pepsi ones with David Beckham, whilst receiving a signature logo with her sponsor Nike. These appearances and collaborations have elevated her status to a global superstar rather than just another player in an advert. Based on these elements alone, it is easy to see why she has such fervent support.
In terms of her on the pitch prowess, she is second to none. Former Barcelona and Catalonia coach Lluís Cortés said to the BBC in 2022 that Putellas would ask: How she can improve, what she can do better. When we finished matches she never asked ‘what did I do well?’, she always asked ‘what did I do wrong and what do I have to improve to be better?’
It is her drive to constantly improve and develop as a player that has established herself as one of the best the women’s game has seen. This drive is typified by her recovery from an ACL injury in 2022. She was able to recover in time to make Spain’s 2023 World Cup winning squad and helped Barcelona win another Champions League in 2026. Although her game time at the World Cup was limited, it is a testament to her that she made the squad altogether. It also augments as to why she is so popular amongst women’s football fans. She could have easily coasted on previous achievements but was instead determined to return to her past glories. It is easy for fans to get behind a player who has taken significant hardships in her stride and be able to return to her best.
Her fruitful endeavours on the pitch are having a significant impact on fans off the pitch.
Much of the women’s football discourse this season has been about declining attendees, however London City have been the outlier. The Pyramid reported that, when comparing London City’s attendance for their game against Manchester United in the 25/26 season, there was a 92.9% increase in fans, from 2,800 to 5,402. This is significant growth. Although it would be simplistic to argue that this is solely down to Putellas, it is hard to ignore her arrival to Bromley as a contributing factor to this rise.
London City Lionesses have offered promotions for discounted tickets plus early bird offers for season tickets. Spearheaded by owner Michele Kang, the club have adopted new strategies to get fans through the turnstiles so that they can watch Putellas at a reasonable price.
Other examples of players drawing fans to specific clubs do exist in women’s football, such as Leah Williamson at Arsenal and Lucy Bronze at Chelsea. For Williamson, many fans are attracted to her relationship with her club. From starting in the academy to leading the Gunners to Champions League and Super League success. Whereas Bronze arguably draws fans for being an outstanding player at outstanding clubs. Of course, fans will support their respective clubs regardless of who plays for them, but players like Williamson and Bronze have developed unique relationships with fans that enhance the connection with the clubs.
Putellas’ growing fandom in England is a unique case compared with Williamson and Bronze due to deciding to play for London City Lionesses instead of a traditional powerhouse. Her stardom runs parallel to the growth of a club that unlike their WSL contemporaries, is not backed by a men’s team. Her status has elevated a club rather than contributed to pre-existing prestige For London City Lionesses, Putellas fever has contributed to an increase in popularity, but the next step is to cement that popularity beyond one player so that they can continue to dine at the top table of women’s football
As established, fans are willing to emigrate to watch her play in person. There are few in women’s football currently who receive such devotion. Whether London City’s support will go off the boil once she departs is a future development to ponder. In the meantime, London City find themselves in a position to define the future of women’s football in England, Putellas may be the catalyst.
