Female Soccer Player of the Year Contender Russo

Age: 26 Playing Role: Forward Clubs: The Gunners and the English national team

Alessia Russo made history with Arsenal as they became the pioneering British team to claim victory in the prestigious European competition since the Gunners did in 2008, and also helped guide the Lionesses to the successful retention of their continental title.

Russo found the net in the Euro 2025 showpiece match and hit top form for her team, playing a crucial role all campaign long as an attacker and with her work off the ball.

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

She was the Women's Super League's joint top scorer, earning a share of the Golden Boot with her rival striker.

She scored twelve WSL goals for the club and set up for a couple more.

She was also nominated for the 2025 Ballon d'Or and selected in the PFA and the Uefa Champions League teams of the year.

Russo on how she feels she has improved over the past year:

"I play my best football when I'm enjoying myself and I know I'm training hard and completing my tasks, so those are aspects that I can always control.

"There's so many different aspects to a striker's role, it's so detailed and there are tiny differences. I continue to develop. We have great coaches here at Arsenal. I have great players to gain knowledge from as well. Then when the important matches come around, the more you do them, the more comfortable you become."

On winning Euro 2025 with England:

"The whole tournament was a total emotional ride. It was highs and lows. It tested us mentally. We were physically drained.

"I recall after the Sweden [quarter-final] 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 grit and resilience. 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 elite athletes in the world and sometimes you have to win a little bit dirty."

On the Champions League final:

"The overriding feeling that I can remember from that entire occasion was just being very composed, like we knew we'd done the work, 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 side such as Barça, you must accept not having the ball because they're so talented. When in possession, they don't give it away frequently.

"We as athletes in the high press and out of possession, we were highly concentrated on our assigned tasks. 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 OK securing victories in that manner as well."

Regarding her inspiration, Kelly Smith:

"I got the pleasure of watching her a couple of occasions with my dad. 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 never got the pleasure of doing that. But watching her was someone that I always used to love."

The striker scored 12 goals in 21 games in the WSL last season to share the Golden Boot.

Not only was she one of the deadliest players in the competition but Russo was also a constant threat in the penalty area all season long, taking more shots (seventy-three) and having a higher expected goals tally (9.7) than any other player.

Russo's ability to aid the side beyond scoring sets her apart.

Team-mate a teammate regularly played progressive passes into her, so effective ball retention was essential.

Her skill to drop deep, creating space from her opposing defender through quick, incisive runs stood out.

If a defender got too close, Russo used her body well to win free-kicks, helping her team gain settled possession 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 regular awareness of her surroundings means she remains aware of where rivals are.

Russo takes minimal touches on the ball, moving it clear from opposing players applying player-to-player pressure, before finding nearby team-mates oriented forward.

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

She is able turn difficult passes into extended spells of controlled play and these possessions in the attacking zone lead to goals, several of these she ends up scoring herself.