Alexia Putellas is known as(被称为，以……闻名) la reina (the queen). In 14 years at Barcelona, the Spanish footballer won the Women’s Champions League four times and ten domestic league titles. She lifted(举起，赢得（奖杯）) the World Cup with Spain in 2023 and has twice received the Ballon d’Or Féminin(女足金球奖，世界最佳女足球员奖项) for the world’s best player. This summer she swap(交换，用……换……)ped Barcelona for the Bromley-based London City Lionesses (LCL), a seven-year-old team with a small stadium. Why?
阿莱克西亚·普特拉斯被誉为“女王”。在巴塞罗那效力的14年间，这位西班牙球员四次赢得女子欧冠冠军，十次夺得国内联赛冠军。2023年她随西班牙队捧起世界杯，并两次获得授予世界最佳球员的女足金球奖。今年夏天，她离开巴塞罗那，加盟了位于布罗姆利的伦敦城女狮队（LCL）——一支成立仅七年、球场规模不大的球队。为什么？
LCL was originally the women’s offshoot(分支，衍生物) of Millwall, a club best known for its fans’ predilection(偏爱，嗜好) for fighting. In 2019 the Millwall Lionesses opted for(选择，决定) independence and adopted a new name. Four years later, the club was bought by Michele Kang, an American entrepreneur who also owns women’s teams in America and France. Since winning promotion(晋级，升级) last year to the Women’s Super League (WSL), the top tier of English women’s football, LCL has gone on a remarkable spending spree(疯狂购物，挥霍热潮). As well as Ms Putellas, the club has signed(签约，雇用) a former England goalkeeper, Mary Earps, and other stars from Australia and France.
伦敦城女狮队最初是米尔沃尔俱乐部的女足分支，而米尔沃尔以球迷好斗而闻名。2019年，米尔沃尔女狮队选择独立并启用新名称。四年后，该俱乐部被美国企业家米歇尔·康收购，她同时拥有美国和法国的女足球队。自去年升入英格兰女足顶级联赛——女子超级联赛（WSL）以来，伦敦城女狮队便开始了惊人的引援狂潮。除了普特拉斯，俱乐部还签下了前英格兰门将玛丽·厄普斯以及来自澳大利亚和法国的其他球星。
A rich overseas owner splashing their cash(挥霍金钱，大把花钱) is a familiar story in English men’s football. But for every Manchester City or Chelsea, for which investment brought success, there is a Leicester City or Portsmouth, where overspending led to the brink of ruin.(但每有一个因投资成功的曼城或切尔西，就有一个因过度支出而濒临毁灭的莱斯特城或朴茨茅斯。) The WSL is keen to avoid that. For the 2026-27 season, which kicks off on September 4th, clubs must operate within new spending limits. Outlays on players and wages must not exceed 80% of revenue, plus an owner’s own-money contribution equivalent to 25% of revenue or up to £4m ($5.5m), whichever is higher. Clubs that fail to comply(遵守，服从) can be punished with fines and points deductions(扣除，扣分).
富有的海外老板挥金如土，这在英格兰男足中已是司空见惯。但每有一个曼城或切尔西因投资而成功，就有一个莱斯特城或朴茨茅斯因过度支出而濒临破产。女足超级联赛（WSL）力求避免这种情况。对于2026-27赛季（9月4日开赛），各俱乐部必须在新的支出限额内运营。球员和工资的支出不得超过收入的80%，再加上老板自掏腰包的注资——相当于收入的25%或最高400万英镑（550万美元），以较高者为准。不遵守规则的俱乐部可能面临罚款和扣分的处罚。