Female Footballer of the Year Contender Russo

Age: 26 Playing Role: Forward Teams: Arsenal and the English national team

Alessia Russo created a legacy with Arsenal as they emerged as the pioneering British team to claim victory in the Women's Champions League since the North London side did in 2008, and also played a key role in leading the Lionesses to the defence of their continental title.

She scored in the Euro 2025 showpiece match and hit top form for her club, making significant contributions all campaign long as an attacker and with her defensive efforts.

The forward was honored as the FWA's women's footballer of the year for the previous campaign.

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

She scored twelve WSL goals for the club and provided assists for a further two.

She was also nominated for the 2025 Ballon d'Or and named in the Professional Footballers' Association and the Uefa Champions League season's best XIs.

Her thoughts on personal development over the past year:

"I play my best football when I'm having fun and I'm confident I'm training hard and completing my tasks, so that's something that are within my power.

"Numerous elements to a striker's role, it requires precision and there are so many fine margins. I continue to develop. We have great coaches here at the club. I have great players to learn off as well. Then when the big games come around, the more you do them, the more you get used to them."

On winning Euro 2025 with England:

"The whole tournament was a total emotional ride. There were ups and downs. It tested us mentally. We were physically drained.

"I remember after the Sweden [quarter-final] game, many players were really, really battered and bruised. It was so intense. But recovery had to be swift. The schedule is relentless.

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

"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 I can remember from that entire occasion was just being so calm, like we knew our preparation was complete, we knew that we had what it takes, and we knew that we believed in the strategy and what we aimed to achieve.

"Obviously playing against a team like Barcelona, you've got to be comfortable not possessing the ball because they're so talented. When in possession, they retain it frequently.

"We as athletes in the high press and defensively, we were highly concentrated on our job at hand. There was extensive movement and plenty of defending. But ultimately that led to success. I think that you have to be content winning games like that as well."

On Arsenal and England legend Kelly Smith being her idol:

"I was fortunate of seeing her play a few times with my father. 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 believe anyone that has played with Kelly would say the same thing and I never got the pleasure of doing that. But observing her play was someone that I always used to love."

The striker scored 12 goals in 21 games in the Women's Super League last season to divide 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 (73) and recording a superior xG (9.7) than any other player.

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

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

Her skill to retreat into midfield, freeing herself from her nearby marker through quick, incisive runs was notable.

If a marker got too close, she used her body well to draw fouls, assisting the side gain settled possession in the opponents' half. In the Champions' League the prior year, nobody was drawn more fouls than the Arsenal striker (fifteen).

When the ball does stick, Russo's touches are highly effective. Her regular awareness of her environment means she stays conscious of where rivals are.

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

By keeping possession in difficult scenarios, she is often capable to act as an outlet for her side in trouble.

She can convert tough balls into extended spells of stable possession and such phases in the attacking zone lead to goals, many of which she ends up scoring herself.