Female Footballer of the Year Contender Russo

Age: 26 Position: Forward Teams: Arsenal and the English national team

Alessia Russo made history with her club as they emerged as the first English team to claim victory in the prestigious European competition since the North London side did in the 2000s, and also played a key role in leading the Lionesses to the successful retention of their European Championship title.

Russo found the net in the European Championship showpiece match and hit top form for her team, making significant contributions all campaign long as an attacker 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 her rival striker.

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

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

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

"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.

"Numerous elements to a number nine position, it requires precision and there are so many fine margins. I'm always still learning. We have great coaches here at the club. I have great players to learn off as well. Then when the important matches come around, the greater your experience, the more you get used to them."

On winning Euro 2025 with England:

"The entire competition was a complete rollercoaster. It was highs and lows. It was emotionally really hard. It was taxing on our bodies.

"I recall after the last-eight 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 determination and toughness. 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 occasionally you have to grind out results."

Discussing the European final:

"The main emotion that stands out from that entire occasion was just being so calm, like we knew our preparation was complete, we knew that we had the ability, and we knew that we believed in the game plan and what we aimed to achieve.

"Obviously playing against a team like Barcelona, you must accept not having the ball because they're so talented. When they do have the ball, they don't give it away that often.

"As players 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. In my opinion you have to be OK securing victories in that manner as well."

Regarding her inspiration, Kelly Smith:

"I was fortunate of seeing her play a few times with my dad. Watching her internationally, too, she was just incredible. I wish that her career lasted more and she was active today, but she ranks among the greats.

"I believe anyone that has played with Kelly would say the same thing and I never got the pleasure of experiencing that. But observing her play was someone that I greatly admired."

The striker scored twelve goals in twenty-one games in the WSL last season to divide the scoring award.

She was not just one of the deadliest players in the league but she was also a persistent danger in the box all season long, taking more shots (73) and recording a superior xG (nine point seven) than all her peers.

Her capability to aid the side beyond scoring sets her apart.

Team-mate a teammate regularly played forward balls into Russo, so effective ball retention was essential.

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

If a marker got in tight, 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, no player was fouled more than the Arsenal striker (fifteen).

When the play settles, Russo's touches are extremely efficient. Her regular awareness of her surroundings means she remains aware of where opponents are.

She uses few contacts on the ball, moving it clear from defenders applying player-to-player pressure, before locating nearby team-mates oriented forward.

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

She can turn difficult passes into extended spells of controlled play and these possessions in the opponent's final third lead to goals, many of which she finishes personally.