Female Footballer of the Year Contender Russo

Years Old: 26 Playing Role: Forward Teams: The Gunners and England

The talented forward made history with her club as they became the pioneering English team to claim victory in the Women's Champions League since the North London side did in the 2000s, and also helped guide England to the defence of their continental title.

Russo found the net in the European Championship final and found her groove for her team, playing a crucial role throughout the season in front of goal and with her defensive efforts.

Russo was honored as the FWA's top female player for last season.

She was the Women's Super League's co-leading goalscorer, sharing the top scorer award with Khadija Shaw.

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

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

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

"I play my best football when I'm having fun and I'm confident my efforts in practice and completing my tasks, so those are aspects that I can always control.

"There's so many different aspects to a number nine position, it's so detailed and there are so many fine margins. I continue to develop. Our staff is excellent here at Arsenal. I have great players to learn off as well. Then when the important matches arrive, the more you do them, the more comfortable you become."

On winning Euro 2025 with England:

"The entire competition was a total emotional ride. It was highs and lows. It was emotionally really hard. We were physically drained.

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

"In my view the way that we won during the event was just grit and resilience. And we were aware that we had the team, we knew that we had what it takes.

"You're playing against the top sides in the world, the elite athletes in the world and sometimes you have to grind out results."

On the Champions League final:

"The overriding feeling that stands out from that entire occasion was just being so calm, like we were confident 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.

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

"We as athletes in the press and out of possession, we were highly concentrated on our assigned tasks. There was extensive movement and plenty of defending. But in the end that led to success. In my opinion you have to be OK 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, she was just incredible. I wish that she could have played longer and still be playing now, but she ranks among the greats.

"I think those who teamed up with her 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 twelve goals in 21 games in the WSL the previous campaign to divide the scoring award.

She was not just one of the deadliest players in the competition but she was also a persistent danger in the box all season long, taking more shots (seventy-three) and recording a superior xG (9.7) than all her peers.

Russo's ability to contribute to the team outside of her goals sets her apart.

Fellow player a teammate regularly played progressive passes into her, so effective ball retention was necessary.

Russo's ability to retreat into midfield, creating space from her nearby marker through quick, incisive runs was notable.

If a marker got too close, Russo used her body well to draw fouls, helping her team secure the ball in the opponents' half. In the European tournament the prior year, no player was drawn more fouls than the Arsenal striker (fifteen).

When the play settles, Russo's touches are highly effective. Her frequent scanning of her environment means she remains aware of where rivals are.

Russo takes few contacts on the ball, directing it away from opposing players applying player-to-player pressure, before finding close colleagues oriented forward.

By retaining the ball in difficult scenarios, Russo is regularly able to act as an release option for her team under pressure.

She is able convert tough balls into extended spells of stable possession and such phases in the opponent's final third result in scores, several of these she ends up scoring herself.