Female Soccer Player of the Year Contender Russo

Years Old: 26 Position: Forward Teams: Arsenal and the English national team

Alessia Russo created a legacy with Arsenal as they became the pioneering English team to claim victory in the prestigious European competition since the Gunners did in the 2000s, and also helped guide England to the successful retention of their European Championship title.

Russo found the net in the Euro 2025 showpiece match and found her groove for her team, making significant contributions all campaign long as an attacker and with her work off the ball.

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

She was the Women's Super League's co-leading goalscorer, earning a share of the Golden Boot with her rival striker.

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

Her name was put forward for the 2025 Ballon d'Or and selected in the PFA and the Uefa Champions League season's best XIs.

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

"My top performances come when I'm enjoying myself and I'm confident I'm training hard and completing my tasks, so that's something that are within my power.

"There's so many different aspects to a striker's role, it requires precision and there are tiny differences. 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. It was highs and lows. It tested us mentally. We were physically drained.

"I remember after the last-eight game, a lot of us were extremely sore and injured. The pressure was immense. But recovery had to be swift. It moves so fast.

"I think the way that we won throughout that whole tournament was just grit and resilience. And we were aware that we had the squad, we knew that we had what it takes.

"Facing the top sides in the world, the best players in the world and occasionally you have to grind out results."

Discussing the European final:

"The overriding feeling that stands out from that entire occasion 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 believed in the game plan and what we wanted to do.

"Naturally playing against a team like Barcelona, you must accept not possessing 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 press and defensively, we were highly concentrated on our job at hand. It was a lot of running and a lot of defensive work. But ultimately that led to success. In my opinion you have to be content securing victories in that manner as well."

Regarding her inspiration, Kelly Smith:

"I was fortunate of seeing her play a couple of occasions with my father. Seeing her for England, 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 something that I greatly admired."

The striker scored 12 goals in 21 games in the WSL last season to share the scoring award.

Not only was she one of the most clinical players in the league but Russo was also a persistent danger in the box throughout the campaign, attempting more efforts (73) and having a higher expected goals tally (nine point seven) than any other player.

Her capability to contribute to the team outside of her goals distinguishes her.

Fellow player a teammate regularly played forward balls into Russo, so strong hold-up play 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 in tight, she used her body well to draw fouls, helping her team gain settled possession in the opponents' half. In the European tournament last season, no player was drawn more fouls than the Arsenal striker (fifteen).

When the play settles, her control are extremely efficient. Her frequent scanning of her environment means she stays conscious of where opponents are.

Russo takes minimal touches on the ball, moving it clear from opposing players applying player-to-player pressure, before locating 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 can turn difficult passes into long periods of controlled play and these possessions in the opponent's final third lead to goals, several of these she ends up scoring herself.