Alexia Putellas may be known as the 'Queen' of Spanish football, but after 14 trophy-laden years at Barcelona, she decided this summer to head off in search of a new challenge.
That ambition has taken her to London City Lionesses – a new upstart seeking to shake up the order of things in the Women's Super League.
Owned by American businesswoman Michele Kang, the Lionesses are the only fully independent team in England's top division since gaining promotion for the 2025-26 season.
"It's a complete change in my life. It's a constant, daily learning process: the culture, the language, moving to a new country, a new city," the 32-year-old told AFP at the club's Cobdown Park training ground, which is still under construction.
"I knew that if I ever had to end my time at Barca, it wouldn't make much sense to repeat what I'd already experienced in the next chapter, mainly because it's impossible.
"It had to be something completely different. It's practically a brand-new club, with everything yet to be written, so I'm trying to bring that winning culture and mentality with me."
Beyond having to adapt to less grandiose surroundings than she enjoyed at Barcelona, as well as to life in a new country, Putellas must also get used to watching the Champions League – a competition she has won four times – rather than playing in it, for this season at least.
She admitted that "it's a slightly strange situation", but one that is inevitable as "part of a complete turnaround".
"I already knew when I chose this project that I wouldn't be in the competition this year," she said.
"But my last memory is perfect: lifting the trophy, being available for every match, maintaining consistency even in difficult moments. It was incredibly rewarding to finish that way."
'SOURCE OF PRIDE'
However, Putellas pointed to a silver lining in that particular cloud.
Playing less matches this season will mean she can be fresher going into next summer's World Cup in Brazil, where Spain will seek to defend their title.
"I try to make decisions by taking everything into account, and that was one of the factors I considered," she revealed.
"There's still a long way to go and my focus is on the day-to-day, but I also think that these situations are what will prepare me to give my best throughout the year so that, if the coach (Sonia Bermudez) sees fit, I can be in Brazil.
"And once there, to repeat what we did in 2023," she added.
After Spain's men won their second world title in North America this summer, the country is currently the reigning champions in both the women's and men's game.
Putellas said the reasons behind this success were "cultural".
"The titles speak for themselves, but I think it's a cultural thing -– how we feel about football, how we live it," she said.
"When a boy was little, his parents would immediately put a ball at his feet. But I think that nowadays, if you're a girl, your parents put a ball at your feet too."
After winning the Spanish league and Champions League last season, Putellas is many pundits' favourite to win the Ballon d'Or at next month's ceremony in London.
She won the award twice in a row in 2021 and 2022, before her former Barca teammate Aitana Bonmati secured the next three.
However, Putellas insists that for her it is "not a question of winning it back; I've never felt it was mine in the first place".
Instead, after recovering from an anterior cruciate ligament injury, which caused her to miss Euro 2022, she said she is proud to be back in the conversation as the world's best player.
"After having gone through that, I enjoy it more now," Putellas said.
"It's much more rewarding to feel that you're among the potential winners –- it's a source of pride.
"Ever since I suffered the injury, I've been trying to enjoy every moment as if it were my last, because you never know if it'll happen again."