Female Footballer of the Year Contender Alessia Russo

Age: 26 Playing Role: Striker Clubs: The Gunners and England

The talented forward made history with Arsenal as they emerged as the pioneering English team to claim victory in the prestigious European competition since the Gunners did in the 2000s, and also played a key role in leading the Lionesses to the defence of their continental crown.

She scored in the Euro 2025 final and hit top form for her club, playing a crucial role 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 the previous campaign.

Russo finished as the Women's Super League's co-leading goalscorer, earning a share of the top scorer award with Khadija Shaw.

She scored twelve WSL goals for the club and set up for a further two.

Her name was put forward for the prestigious individual award and named 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 my efforts in practice and I'm getting my work done, so those are aspects that are within my power.

"Numerous elements to a striker's role, it requires precision and there are tiny differences. I'm always still learning. We have great coaches here at the club. There are top teammates to gain knowledge from as well. Then when the important matches arrive, the greater your experience, the more you get used to them."

On winning Euro 2025 with England:

"The entire competition was a total emotional ride. It was highs and lows. It was emotionally really hard. We were physically drained.

"I remember after the Sweden [quarter-final] 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 during the event was just grit and resilience. And I think that we knew that we had the squad, we knew that we had what it takes.

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

On the Champions League final:

"The overriding feeling that stands out from that whole day was just being very composed, like we knew our preparation was complete, we knew that we had the ability, and we knew that we believed in 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 they do have the ball, they retain it frequently.

"We as athletes in the press and defensively, we were really focused on our job at hand. There was extensive movement and a lot of defensive work. But ultimately that's what got the job done. I think that you have to be OK securing victories in that manner as well."

Regarding her inspiration, Kelly Smith:

"I got the pleasure of seeing her play a few times with my dad. Watching her internationally, too, she was just incredible. I hope that her career lasted more and she was active today, but she was one of the best ever.

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

Alessia Russo notched 12 goals in twenty-one games in the Women's Super League the previous campaign to divide the Golden Boot.

Not only was she one of the deadliest players in the competition but she was also a constant threat in the penalty area throughout the campaign, taking more shots (73) 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 distinguishes her.

Fellow player a teammate often delivered 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 sharp, darting movements was notable.

If a marker got too close, Russo used her physicality to win free-kicks, helping her team secure the ball in the enemy territory. In the Champions' League the prior year, nobody was drawn more fouls than the Arsenal striker (fifteen).

When the play settles, her control are highly effective. Her regular awareness of her environment means she remains aware of where opponents are.

Russo takes minimal touches on the ball, directing it away from opposing players marking closely, before locating nearby team-mates oriented forward.

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

She can turn difficult passes into long periods of stable possession and such phases in the attacking zone lead to goals, several of these she finishes personally.