Female Footballer of the Year Candidate Russo

Years Old: 26 Playing Role: Forward Clubs: Arsenal and the English national team

Alessia Russo made history with her club as they became the pioneering English team to win the prestigious European competition since the Gunners did in 2008, and also played a key role in leading England to the defence of their European Championship title.

She scored in the Euro 2025 final and hit top form for her team, making significant contributions all campaign long as an attacker and with her work off the ball.

The forward was named the Football Writers' Association's women's footballer of the year for last season.

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

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

Her name was put forward for the 2025 Ballon d'Or and named in the Professional Footballers' Association and the Uefa Champions League 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 my efforts in practice and I'm getting my work done, so that's something that I can always control.

"There's so many different aspects to a number nine position, it's so detailed and there are tiny differences. I'm always still learning. Our staff is excellent here at Arsenal. I have great players to learn off as well. Then when the important matches arrive, the more you do them, the more comfortable you become."

On winning Euro 2025 with England:

"The whole tournament was a total emotional ride. It was highs and lows. It was emotionally really hard. It was taxing on our bodies.

"I remember after the last-eight game, a lot of us were really, really battered and bruised. It was so intense. But you've got to turn it around quickly. It moves so fast.

"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 what it takes.

"You're playing against the top sides in the world, the elite athletes in the world and sometimes you have to win a little bit dirty."

On the Champions League final:

"The main emotion that stands out from that entire occasion was just being very composed, like we were confident we'd done the work, we knew that we had what it takes, and we knew that we trusted the game plan and what we aimed to achieve.

"Obviously playing against a side such as Barça, you've got to be comfortable not possessing the ball because their skill is exceptional. When in possession, they retain it frequently.

"As players in the high press and defensively, we were really focused on our assigned tasks. It was a lot of running and plenty of defending. But in the end that led to success. In my opinion you have to be OK winning games like that as well."

On Arsenal and England legend Kelly Smith being her idol:

"I got the pleasure of seeing her play a few times with my father. Seeing her for England, too, her talent was remarkable. I wish that she could have played longer and she was active today, but she was one of the best ever.

"I think 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."

Alessia Russo scored twelve goals in 21 games in the WSL the previous campaign to share the Golden Boot.

She was not just one of the deadliest players in the competition but she was also a persistent danger in the penalty area all season long, 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 beyond scoring distinguishes her.

Fellow player a teammate often delivered forward balls into Russo, so effective ball retention was essential.

Russo's ability to retreat into midfield, creating space from her opposing defender through sharp, darting movements was notable.

If a marker got in tight, she used her physicality to win free-kicks, helping her team gain settled possession in the enemy territory. In the Champions' League last season, no player was fouled more than the forward (15).

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

She uses few contacts on the ball, directing it away from opposing players marking closely, before finding close colleagues oriented forward.

By keeping possession in tough situations, Russo is regularly able to act as an release option for her side in trouble.

She is able turn difficult passes into long periods of stable possession and these possessions in the attacking zone result in scores, several of these she ends up scoring herself.