Female Soccer Player of the Year Contender Russo

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

Alessia Russo created a legacy with Arsenal as they emerged as the first British team to claim victory in the Women's Champions League since the Gunners did in the 2000s, and also helped guide the Lionesses to the successful retention of their continental crown.

She scored in the Euro 2025 showpiece match and hit top form for her team, playing a crucial role throughout the season in front of goal and with her defensive efforts.

The forward was honored as 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 top scorer award with her rival striker.

Russo netted 12 league goals for Arsenal and provided assists for a couple more.

She was also nominated for the prestigious individual award 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:

"My top performances come when I'm enjoying myself and I'm confident my efforts in practice and I'm getting my work done, so that's something that I can always control.

"There's so many different aspects to a striker's role, it requires precision and there are tiny differences. I'm always still learning. Our staff is excellent here at the club. I have great players to gain knowledge from as well. Then when the big games come around, 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 recall after the Sweden [quarter-final] game, a lot of us were extremely sore and injured. The pressure was immense. But recovery had to be swift. It moves so fast.

"In my view the way that we won during the event was just determination and toughness. And I think that we knew that we had the team, we knew that we had the necessary qualities.

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

Discussing the European final:

"The main emotion 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 trusted the strategy and what we aimed to achieve.

"Naturally playing against a team like Barcelona, you've got to be comfortable not possessing the ball because they're so talented. When in possession, they retain it frequently.

"As players in the press and out of possession, we were really focused on our assigned tasks. It was a lot of running and plenty of defending. But ultimately that led to success. I think that you have to be content 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 her career lasted more and still be playing now, but she was one of the best ever.

"I believe those who teamed up with her would agree and I never got the pleasure of experiencing that. But watching her was someone that I greatly admired."

The striker notched twelve goals in 21 games in the Women's Super League the previous campaign to share the scoring award.

Not only was she one of the deadliest players in the league but she was also a persistent danger in the penalty area throughout the campaign, attempting more efforts (73) 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 often delivered forward balls into her, so strong hold-up play was essential.

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

If a marker got too close, Russo used her physicality to win free-kicks, assisting the side secure the ball in the enemy territory. In the Champions' League the prior year, no player was fouled more than the Arsenal striker (fifteen).

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

Russo takes minimal touches on the ball, moving it clear from defenders applying player-to-player pressure, before locating close colleagues positioned facing towards the goal.

By retaining the ball in difficult scenarios, she is often capable to act as an release option for her side in trouble.

She is able turn difficult passes into long periods of controlled play and these possessions in the attacking zone result in scores, several of these she finishes personally.