Women's Footballer of the Year Contender Alessia Russo

Age: 26 Position: Striker Teams: Arsenal and England

Alessia Russo made history with Arsenal as they became the first English team to win the prestigious European competition since the North London side did in the 2000s, and also helped guide England to the defence of their European Championship title.

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

The forward was honored as the FWA's women's footballer of the year for last season.

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

She scored twelve WSL goals for the club and set up for a couple more.

She was also nominated for the prestigious individual award and named in the Professional Footballers' Association and the European teams of the year.

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

"My top performances come when I'm enjoying myself and I know my efforts in practice and I'm getting my work done, so those are aspects that I can always control.

"Numerous elements to a striker's role, it's so detailed and there are tiny differences. I'm always still learning. Our staff is excellent here at the club. I have great players to gain knowledge from as well. Then when the important matches arrive, the more you do them, the more you get used to them."

On winning Euro 2025 with England:

"The entire competition was a complete rollercoaster. There were ups and downs. It was emotionally really hard. We were physically drained.

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

"In my view the way that we won during the event was just determination and toughness. And I think that we knew that we had the squad, 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 so calm, like we were confident we'd done the work, we knew that we had the ability, and we knew that we trusted the strategy and what we aimed to achieve.

"Obviously playing against a team like Barcelona, you've got to be comfortable not possessing the ball because they're so talented. When in possession, they retain it frequently.

"As players in the high press and out of possession, we were highly concentrated on our assigned tasks. There was extensive movement and plenty of defending. But ultimately that's what got the job done. In my opinion you have to be content 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, she was just incredible. I hope that her career lasted more and still be playing now, but she was one of the best ever.

"I believe those who teamed up with her would agree and I didn't have the chance of experiencing that. But watching her was something that I always used to love."

Alessia Russo notched twelve goals in 21 games in the Women's Super League the previous campaign to share the scoring award.

Not only was she one of the deadliest players in the league but she was also a persistent danger in the box throughout the campaign, taking more shots (seventy-three) and having a higher expected goals tally (nine point seven) than all her peers.

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 necessary.

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, Russo used her body well to win free-kicks, helping her team secure the ball in the opponents' half. In the European tournament last season, no player was drawn more fouls than the Arsenal striker (15).

When the play settles, Russo's touches are highly effective. Her regular awareness of her environment means she stays conscious of where rivals are.

Russo takes few contacts on the ball, directing it away from defenders applying player-to-player pressure, before locating nearby team-mates positioned facing towards the goal.

By retaining the ball in tough situations, Russo is regularly able to act as an release option for her team under pressure.

She is able turn difficult passes into extended spells of controlled play and these possessions in the attacking zone lead to goals, many of which she finishes personally.