Female Footballer of the Year Contender Alessia Russo

Age: 26 Position: Striker Teams: Arsenal and England

The talented forward created a legacy with Arsenal as they emerged as the pioneering 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 defence of their continental title.

She scored in the European Championship showpiece match and hit top form for her club, playing a crucial role throughout the season in front of goal and with her work off the ball.

Russo was honored as the FWA's top female player for the previous campaign.

She was the WSL's joint top scorer, earning a share of the Golden Boot with Khadija Shaw.

She scored 12 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 season's best XIs.

Russo on how she feels she has improved over the previous season:

"I play my best football when I'm enjoying myself and I know my efforts in practice and I'm getting my work done, so those are aspects that are within my power.

"There's so many different aspects to a striker's role, it's so detailed 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."

Reflecting on England's European triumph:

"The whole tournament was a complete rollercoaster. There were ups and downs. It tested us mentally. It was taxing on our bodies.

"I remember after the last-eight game, many players were really, really battered and bruised. It was so intense. But you've got to turn it around quickly. The schedule is relentless.

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

"You're playing against the best teams in the world, the best players in the world and sometimes you have to grind out results."

On the Champions League final:

"The overriding feeling that I can remember from that entire occasion was just being so calm, like we were confident we'd done the work, we knew that we had the ability, and we knew that we believed in the strategy and what we aimed to achieve.

"Obviously playing against a team like Barcelona, you must accept not possessing the ball because their skill is exceptional. When they do have the ball, they don't give it away that often.

"We as athletes in the press and out of possession, we were highly concentrated on our job at hand. There was extensive movement and a lot of defensive work. But in the end 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 got the pleasure of seeing her play a couple of occasions with my dad. Watching her internationally, too, her talent was remarkable. I hope that her career lasted more and she was active today, but she ranks among the greats.

"I think anyone that has played with Kelly would agree and I never got the pleasure of doing that. But observing her play was something that I always used to love."

Alessia Russo scored twelve goals in twenty-one games in the Women's Super League last season to divide the scoring award.

She was not just one of the most clinical players in the league but she was also a persistent danger in the penalty area all season long, taking more shots (seventy-three) and recording a superior xG (nine point seven) than any other player.

Her capability to aid the side outside of her goals sets her apart.

Fellow player a teammate often delivered forward balls into her, so strong hold-up play was essential.

Russo's ability to retreat into midfield, creating space from her opposing defender through quick, incisive runs was notable.

If a defender got in tight, she used her body well to win free-kicks, 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 play settles, Russo's touches are extremely efficient. Her frequent scanning of her environment means she remains aware of where rivals are.

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

By retaining the ball in tough situations, Russo is often capable to act as an release option for her side in trouble.

She can convert tough balls into long periods of stable possession and such phases in the attacking zone result in scores, several of these she ends up scoring herself.