Female Soccer Player of the Year Contender Russo

Age: 26 Position: Striker Teams: The Gunners and the English national team

Alessia Russo created a legacy with Arsenal as they became the first British team to claim victory in the Women's Champions League since the Gunners did in 2008, and also helped guide England to the successful retention of their European Championship title.

She scored in the Euro 2025 showpiece match and found her groove for her club, playing a crucial role throughout the season as an attacker and with her defensive efforts.

Russo was honored as the Football Writers' Association's top female player for last season.

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

She scored twelve league goals for Arsenal and set up for a couple more.

She was also nominated for the 2025 Ballon d'Or and selected in the Professional Footballers' Association and the European season's best XIs.

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

"My top performances come when I'm having fun and I know I'm training hard 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 tiny differences. I continue to develop. We have great coaches here at the club. There are top teammates to learn off as well. Then when the important matches come around, the more you do them, the more comfortable you become."

Reflecting on England's European triumph:

"The whole tournament was a complete rollercoaster. It was highs and lows. It tested us mentally. It was taxing on our bodies.

"I remember after the Sweden [quarter-final] game, many players 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 throughout that whole tournament was just grit and resilience. And we were aware 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."

Discussing the European final:

"The main emotion that stands out from that whole day was just being very composed, like we were confident we'd done the work, we knew that we had the ability, and we knew that we trusted the strategy and what we aimed to achieve.

"Naturally playing against a side such as Barça, you've got to be comfortable not possessing the ball because they're so talented. When they do have the ball, they retain it that often.

"We as athletes in the press and defensively, we were highly concentrated on our assigned tasks. It was a lot of running and plenty of defending. But ultimately that's what got the job done. In my opinion you have to be content winning games like that as well."

Regarding her inspiration, Kelly Smith:

"I got the pleasure of watching her a few times with my dad. 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 anyone that has played with Kelly would agree and I never got the pleasure of experiencing that. But observing her play was someone that I greatly admired."

Alessia Russo scored twelve goals in twenty-one games in the WSL last season to divide the Golden Boot.

She was not just one of the deadliest players in the competition but she 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 contribute to the team beyond scoring distinguishes her.

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

Russo's ability to drop deep, freeing herself from her nearby marker through sharp, darting movements stood out.

If a defender got too close, she used her body well to draw fouls, helping her team gain settled possession in the enemy territory. In the European tournament the prior year, nobody was fouled more than the Arsenal striker (15).

When the ball does stick, her control are extremely efficient. Her regular awareness of her surroundings means she stays conscious of where rivals are.

She uses minimal touches on the ball, moving it clear from defenders marking closely, before finding close colleagues positioned facing towards the goal.

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