Female Footballer of the Year Candidate Russo

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

Alessia Russo created a legacy with her club as they emerged as the pioneering British team to win the Women's Champions League since the North London side did in the 2000s, and also helped guide the Lionesses to the successful retention of their European Championship crown.

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

Russo was named the FWA's top female player for last season.

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

Russo netted 12 WSL goals for the club and provided assists for a further two.

She was also nominated for the 2025 Ballon d'Or and named in the PFA and the European season's best XIs.

Her thoughts on personal development over the previous season:

"I play my best football when I'm enjoying myself and I know I'm training hard and I'm getting my work done, so that's something that I can always control.

"Numerous elements to a striker's role, it requires precision and there are so many fine margins. I'm always still learning. We have great coaches here at Arsenal. There are top teammates 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 entire competition 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, a lot of us were extremely sore and injured. It was so intense. But recovery had to be swift. It moves so fast.

"In my view the way that we won throughout that whole tournament was just determination and toughness. And I think that we knew that we had the squad, we knew that we had what it takes.

"Facing the top sides in the world, the elite athletes in the world and occasionally you have to win a little bit dirty."

On the Champions League final:

"The main emotion that stands out from that whole day was just being very composed, 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 side such as Barça, you've got to be comfortable not having the ball because their skill is exceptional. When in possession, they don't give it away 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. I think that you have to be OK securing victories in that manner as well."

On Arsenal and England legend Kelly Smith being her idol:

"I got the pleasure of watching her a few times with my dad. 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 believe those who teamed up with her would agree and I didn't have the chance of doing that. But observing her play was something that I greatly admired."

The striker scored 12 goals in twenty-one games in the WSL the previous campaign to share the Golden Boot.

She was not just one of the most clinical players in the competition but Russo was also a persistent danger in the penalty area throughout the campaign, taking more shots (seventy-three) and recording a superior xG (9.7) than all her peers.

Russo's ability to aid the side beyond scoring sets her apart.

Fellow player a teammate often delivered progressive passes into her, so effective ball retention was essential.

Russo's ability to drop deep, freeing herself from her nearby marker through quick, incisive runs was notable.

If a defender got too close, Russo used her body well to win free-kicks, helping her team secure the ball in the opponents' half. In the Champions' League last season, nobody was fouled more than the Arsenal striker (15).

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

She uses few contacts on the ball, moving it clear from defenders applying player-to-player pressure, before finding nearby team-mates oriented forward.

By retaining the ball in tough situations, she is regularly able to act as an outlet for her side in trouble.

She is able convert tough balls into extended spells of stable possession and such phases in the attacking zone result in scores, many of which she ends up scoring herself.