Female Footballer of the Year Contender Russo

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

Alessia Russo made history with her club as they emerged as the pioneering English team to claim victory in the prestigious European competition since the Gunners did in 2008, and also helped guide England to the successful retention of their continental title.

She scored in the European Championship showpiece match and hit top form for her team, making significant contributions throughout the season in front of goal and with her defensive efforts.

Russo was honored as the Football Writers' Association's top female player for the previous campaign.

She was the Women's Super League's joint top scorer, earning a share of the top scorer award with Khadija Shaw.

She scored twelve WSL goals for Arsenal and provided assists for a couple more.

Her name was put forward for the prestigious individual award and named in the PFA and the European season's best XIs.

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

"My top performances come when I'm having fun and I'm confident I'm training hard and completing my tasks, so those are aspects that I can always control.

"There's so many different aspects to a number nine position, it requires precision and there are tiny differences. I continue to develop. Our staff is excellent here at Arsenal. I have great players to learn off as well. Then when the important matches come around, the greater your experience, the more comfortable you become."

On winning Euro 2025 with England:

"The whole tournament was a complete rollercoaster. There were ups and downs. It tested us mentally. We were physically drained.

"I remember after the Sweden [quarter-final] game, a lot of us were really, really battered and bruised. The pressure was immense. But recovery had to be swift. It moves so fast.

"In my view the way that we won during the event was just grit and resilience. And I think that we knew that we had the team, we knew that we had the necessary qualities.

"Facing the best teams in the world, the elite athletes 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 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 strategy 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 they do have the ball, they retain it that often.

"We as athletes in the press and out of possession, we were highly concentrated on our job at hand. It was a lot of running and a lot of defensive work. But in the end that led to success. I think that you have to be content winning games like that as well."

Regarding her inspiration, Kelly Smith:

"I was fortunate of watching her a few times with my father. Watching her internationally, too, her talent was remarkable. I hope that she could have played longer and still be playing now, 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 experiencing that. But observing her play was someone that I always used to love."

Alessia Russo scored 12 goals in 21 games in the WSL last season to divide the Golden Boot.

Not only was she one of the deadliest players in the league but Russo was also a constant threat in the penalty area all season long, attempting more efforts (73) and recording a superior xG (nine point seven) than all her peers.

Her capability to aid the side beyond scoring sets her apart.

Fellow player Mariona Caldentey regularly played forward balls into her, so strong hold-up play was essential.

Her skill to drop deep, freeing herself from her nearby marker through sharp, darting movements was notable.

If a marker got in tight, she used her physicality to draw fouls, assisting the side gain settled possession in the opponents' half. In the Champions' League the prior year, no player was drawn more fouls than the forward (fifteen).

When the ball does stick, Russo's touches are extremely efficient. Her frequent scanning of her environment means she stays conscious of where opponents are.

Russo takes few contacts on the ball, moving it clear from opposing players marking closely, 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 turn difficult passes into long periods of stable possession and these possessions in the opponent's final third result in scores, several of these she ends up scoring herself.