Female Soccer Player of the Year Contender Russo

Years Old: 26 Position: Striker Clubs: The Gunners and England

The talented forward made history with her club as they became the first English team to claim victory in the prestigious European competition since the Gunners did in 2008, and also helped guide England to the defence of their continental crown.

Russo found the net in the Euro 2025 showpiece match and found her groove for her club, making significant contributions throughout the season in front of goal and with her defensive efforts.

Russo was named the FWA's women's footballer of the year for the previous campaign.

She was the Women's Super League's co-leading goalscorer, sharing the Golden Boot with Khadija Shaw.

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

Her name was put forward for the 2025 Ballon d'Or and selected in the PFA and the European teams of the year.

Her thoughts on personal development over the past year:

"I play my best football when I'm having fun and I know my efforts in practice and I'm getting my work done, so those are aspects that I can always control.

"There's so many different aspects to a striker's role, it requires precision and there are so many fine margins. I continue to develop. Our staff is excellent here at the club. I have great players to gain knowledge from as well. Then when the important matches arrive, the greater your experience, the more you get used to them."

On winning Euro 2025 with England:

"The entire competition 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, many players were extremely sore and injured. The pressure was immense. But recovery had to be swift. It moves so fast.

"I think the way that we won during the event was just grit and resilience. And I think that we knew that we had the team, we knew that we had the necessary qualities.

"Facing the top sides in the world, the elite athletes in the world and occasionally you have to grind out results."

On the Champions League final:

"The overriding feeling that stands out from that whole day was just being so calm, like we knew we'd done the work, we knew that we had what it takes, and we knew that we believed in the game plan and what we aimed to achieve.

"Naturally playing against a team like Barcelona, you've got to be comfortable not possessing the ball because their skill is exceptional. When they do have the ball, they retain it frequently.

"As players in the high press and out of possession, we were really focused on our job at hand. It was a lot of running and a lot of defensive work. But in the end that led to success. I think that you have to be content winning games like that as well."

On Arsenal and England legend Kelly Smith being her idol:

"I was fortunate of watching her a few times with my father. Watching her internationally, too, her talent was remarkable. I wish that her career lasted more and she was active today, but she ranks among the greats.

"I believe those who teamed up with her would say the same thing and I didn't have the chance of experiencing that. But observing her play was something that I greatly admired."

Alessia Russo scored twelve goals in twenty-one games in the Women's Super League the previous campaign to share the Golden Boot.

She was not just one of the deadliest players in the league but Russo was also a persistent danger in the penalty area throughout the campaign, taking more shots (73) and recording a superior xG (9.7) than all her peers.

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

Fellow player Mariona Caldentey regularly played forward balls into her, so strong hold-up play was essential.

Russo's ability to drop deep, creating space from her opposing defender through quick, incisive runs stood out.

If a defender got too close, she used her body well to draw fouls, assisting the side gain settled possession in the opponents' half. In the Champions' League last season, no player was drawn more fouls than the Arsenal striker (15).

When the play settles, Russo's touches are highly effective. Her regular awareness of her surroundings means she stays conscious of where rivals are.

She uses few contacts on the ball, moving it clear from defenders applying player-to-player pressure, before finding close colleagues positioned facing towards the goal.

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

She is able convert tough balls into long periods of controlled play and these possessions in the attacking zone result in scores, several of these she ends up scoring herself.