Female Soccer Player of the Year Contender Russo

Years Old: 26 Playing Role: Forward Clubs: Arsenal and England

Alessia Russo made history with Arsenal as they became the pioneering British team to win the Women's Champions League since the North London side did in the 2000s, and also helped guide England to the successful retention of their continental title.

Russo found the net in the European Championship final and found her groove for her club, playing a crucial role throughout the season in front of goal and with her work off the ball.

The forward was named the FWA's top female player for last season.

She was the WSL's co-leading goalscorer, sharing the Golden Boot with her rival striker.

She scored twelve league goals for Arsenal and provided assists 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 previous season:

"I play my best football when I'm having fun and I'm confident I'm training hard and I'm getting my work done, so those are aspects that are within my power.

"There's so many different aspects to a striker's role, it requires precision and there are so many fine margins. I'm always still learning. Our staff is excellent here at the club. There are top teammates to learn off 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. We were physically drained.

"I remember after the last-eight game, many players were really, really battered and bruised. The pressure was immense. But recovery had to be swift. The schedule is relentless.

"I think the way that we won throughout that whole tournament was just grit and resilience. And I think that we knew that we had the squad, we knew that we had the necessary qualities.

"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 main emotion that I can remember from that whole day was just being very composed, like we were confident our preparation was complete, we knew that we had what it takes, and we knew that we trusted the strategy and what we wanted to do.

"Naturally playing against a team like Barcelona, you've got to be comfortable not having the ball because they're so talented. When in possession, they don't give it away that often.

"We as athletes in the high press and defensively, we were really focused on our job at hand. It was a lot of running and plenty of defending. But ultimately that led to success. I think that you have to be OK winning games like that as well."

Regarding her inspiration, Kelly Smith:

"I was fortunate of watching her a few times with my father. Seeing her for England, too, she was just incredible. I wish that her career lasted more and still be playing now, but she ranks among the greats.

"I believe those who teamed up with her would say the same thing and I never got the pleasure of doing that. But watching her was something that I greatly admired."

The striker notched twelve goals in twenty-one games in the WSL last season to share the Golden Boot.

Not only was she one of the deadliest players in the league but Russo was also a persistent danger in the box throughout the campaign, attempting more efforts (seventy-three) and having a higher expected goals tally (nine point seven) than all her peers.

Russo's ability to aid the side outside of her goals sets her apart.

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

Russo's ability to drop deep, freeing herself from her opposing defender through sharp, darting movements was notable.

If a defender got too close, she used her body well to win free-kicks, helping her team secure the ball in the opponents' half. In the European tournament the prior year, nobody was fouled more than the Arsenal striker (15).

When the ball does stick, Russo's touches are highly effective. Her frequent scanning of her surroundings means she remains aware of where opponents are.

She uses minimal touches on the ball, moving it clear from opposing players applying player-to-player pressure, before finding nearby team-mates positioned facing towards the goal.

By keeping possession in tough situations, Russo is often capable to act as an release option for her team under pressure.

She is able convert tough balls into extended spells of stable possession and these possessions in the attacking zone lead to goals, many of which she ends up scoring herself.