Female Footballer of the Year Contender Russo

Age: 26 Position: Forward Teams: Arsenal and the English national team

The talented forward created a legacy with Arsenal as they emerged as the first English team to claim victory in the Women's Champions League since the North London side did in 2008, and also helped guide the Lionesses to the defence of their European Championship title.

She scored in the European Championship final and found her groove for her team, playing a crucial role throughout the season as an attacker and with her work off the ball.

The forward was named the Football Writers' Association's women's footballer of the year for last season.

Russo finished as the Women's Super League's co-leading goalscorer, earning a share of the Golden Boot with Khadija Shaw.

Russo netted twelve league goals for Arsenal and provided assists for a further two.

She was also nominated for the 2025 Ballon d'Or and named in the Professional Footballers' Association and the Uefa Champions League teams of the year.

Russo on how she feels she has improved over the previous season:

"I play my best football when I'm having fun and I know my efforts in practice and completing my tasks, so those are aspects that are within my power.

"Numerous elements to a number nine position, it's so detailed and there are so many fine margins. I continue to develop. We have great coaches here at Arsenal. There are top teammates to learn off as well. Then when the important matches arrive, the greater your experience, the more comfortable you become."

On winning Euro 2025 with England:

"The whole tournament was a total emotional ride. There were ups and downs. It was emotionally really hard. It was taxing on our bodies.

"I remember after the last-eight game, a lot of us were really, really battered and bruised. The pressure was immense. But you've got to turn it around quickly. The schedule is relentless.

"In my view the way that we won throughout that whole tournament was just determination and toughness. And I think that we knew that we had the team, we knew that we had what it takes.

"Facing the top sides in the world, the best players in the world and sometimes you have to win a little bit dirty."

On the Champions League final:

"The overriding feeling that stands out from that entire occasion was just being very composed, like we knew our preparation was complete, we knew that we had what it takes, and we knew that we believed in the game plan and what we wanted to do.

"Obviously playing against a team like Barcelona, you must accept not possessing the ball because they're so talented. When in possession, they don't give it away frequently.

"As players in the high press and defensively, we were highly concentrated on our assigned tasks. It was a lot of running and a lot of defensive work. But ultimately that led to success. In my opinion you have to be OK securing victories in that manner as well."

Regarding her inspiration, Kelly Smith:

"I got the pleasure of seeing her play a few times with my father. Seeing her for England, too, she was just incredible. I hope that she could have played longer and still be playing now, but she was one of the best ever.

"I think those who teamed up with her would agree and I didn't have the chance of doing that. But watching her was someone that I greatly admired."

Alessia Russo notched twelve goals in twenty-one games in the Women's Super League last season to divide the Golden Boot.

Not only was she one of the most clinical players in the league but she was also a persistent danger 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 aid the side beyond scoring sets her apart.

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

Her skill to retreat into midfield, freeing herself from her nearby marker through quick, incisive runs stood out.

If a defender got in tight, Russo used her physicality to draw fouls, helping her team gain settled possession in the enemy territory. In the Champions' League the prior year, no player was drawn more fouls than the Arsenal striker (15).

When the play settles, her control are highly effective. Her regular awareness of her environment means she stays conscious of where opponents are.

She uses few contacts on the ball, moving it clear from opposing players marking closely, before locating close colleagues oriented forward.

By retaining the ball in difficult scenarios, Russo is regularly able to act as an outlet for her side in trouble.

She can convert tough balls into extended spells of controlled play and these possessions in the opponent's final third lead to goals, several of these she finishes personally.