Female Footballer of the Year Contender Russo

Years Old: 26 Position: Forward Teams: Arsenal and the English national team

Alessia Russo created a legacy with Arsenal as they became the pioneering British team to win the prestigious European competition since the Gunners did in the 2000s, and also played a key role in leading the Lionesses to the successful retention of their continental title.

She scored in the Euro 2025 final and hit top form for her team, playing a crucial role throughout the season in front of goal and with her work off the ball.

Russo was honored as the Football Writers' Association's top female player for last season.

She was the Women's Super League's joint top scorer, sharing the top scorer award with Khadija Shaw.

She scored 12 WSL goals for Arsenal and provided assists for a further two.

Her name was put forward for the 2025 Ballon d'Or and named in the PFA and the Uefa Champions League season's best XIs.

Her thoughts on personal development over the previous season:

"I play my best football when I'm enjoying myself and I'm confident my efforts in practice and completing my tasks, so that's something that are within my power.

"There's so many different aspects to a striker's role, it's so detailed and there are so many fine margins. I'm always still learning. Our staff is excellent here at the club. I have great players to learn off as well. Then when the big games arrive, the greater your experience, the more you get used to them."

On winning Euro 2025 with England:

"The entire competition was a complete rollercoaster. There were ups and downs. It was emotionally really hard. We were physically drained.

"I remember after the Sweden [quarter-final] game, a lot of us were really, really battered and bruised. It was so intense. But recovery had to be swift. The schedule is relentless.

"In my view the way that we won throughout that whole tournament was just grit and resilience. And we were aware that we had the squad, we knew that we had the necessary qualities.

"Facing the best teams in the world, the elite athletes in the world and sometimes you have to win a little bit dirty."

Discussing the European final:

"The main emotion that stands out from that entire occasion was just being so calm, like we knew our preparation was complete, we knew that we had the ability, and we knew that we believed in the game plan and what we wanted to do.

"Naturally playing against a team like Barcelona, you've got to be comfortable not having the ball because they're so talented. When they do have the ball, they don't give it away frequently.

"We as athletes in the press and defensively, we were really focused on our job at hand. There was extensive movement and a lot of defensive work. But ultimately that led to success. In my opinion you have to be content winning games like that as well."

Regarding her inspiration, Kelly Smith:

"I was fortunate of seeing her play a couple of occasions with my dad. Seeing her for England, too, she was just incredible. I wish that she could have played longer and she was active today, but she ranks among the greats.

"I think anyone that has played with Kelly would agree and I never got the pleasure of doing that. But observing her play was someone that I always used to love."

Alessia Russo notched 12 goals in 21 games in the Women's Super League the previous campaign to divide the Golden Boot.

Not only was she one of the most clinical players in the league but she was also a constant threat in the box throughout the campaign, taking more shots (seventy-three) and having a higher expected goals tally (nine point seven) than all her peers.

Russo's ability to contribute to the team beyond scoring distinguishes her.

Team-mate a teammate regularly played progressive passes into Russo, so strong hold-up play was necessary.

Russo's ability to retreat into midfield, freeing herself from her opposing defender through sharp, darting movements was notable.

If a defender got too close, Russo used her physicality to win free-kicks, assisting the side secure the ball in the opponents' half. In the Champions' League last season, no player was drawn more fouls than the forward (15).

When the play settles, her control are highly effective. Her frequent scanning of her environment means she remains aware of where opponents are.

She uses minimal touches on the ball, directing it away from opposing players applying player-to-player pressure, before finding nearby team-mates oriented forward.

By keeping possession in difficult scenarios, Russo is regularly able to act as an outlet for her team under pressure.

She can turn difficult passes into long periods of stable possession and these possessions in the opponent's final third result in scores, several of these she ends up scoring herself.