Spain striker Paralluelo joins Lyon from Barcelona

Salma Paralluelo, a World Cup winner at three age levels, has joined Lyon from Barcelona, the French women’s football champions announced on Saturday.

Barcelona had already said that the 22-year-old, whose contract expired in June, would be leaving.

Paralluelo joined Barcelona from Villarreal in 2022 and has won the Spanish league four times, and the Spanish Copa de la Reina and the European Champions League three times each. In 131 appearances for the Catalan club she scored 72 goals.

She struck twice as Barcelona crushed Lyon 4-0 in the Champions League final in Oslo in May.

Paralluelo has played 41 times for Spain’s senior team and was crowned world champion in 2023. She had previously won the world titles at under-17 level in 2018 and at under-20 level in 2022.

She joins a summer exodus from Barcelona.

Two-time Ballon d’Or winner Alexia Putellas announced her departure and is joining London City Lionesses. Centre-back Mapi Leon is expected to make the same switch, while full-back Ona Batlle is set to move to Arsenal.