Female Soccer Player of the Year Candidate Russo

Years Old: 26 Playing Role: Striker Teams: Arsenal and the English national team

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

Russo found the net in the European Championship final and hit top form for her club, making significant contributions throughout the season as an attacker 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, sharing the Golden Boot with her rival striker.

She scored twelve league goals for the club and provided assists for a further two.

Her name was put forward for the 2025 Ballon d'Or and selected in the PFA and the European season's best XIs.

Her thoughts on personal development over the previous season:

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

"Numerous elements to a number nine position, 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 recall after the last-eight game, many players were extremely sore and injured. It was so intense. But recovery had to be swift. It moves so fast.

"I think the way that we won throughout that whole tournament was just grit and resilience. And we were aware that we had the squad, we knew that we had the necessary qualities.

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

Discussing the European final:

"The main emotion 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 trusted the strategy and what we aimed to achieve.

"Obviously playing against a team like Barcelona, you must accept not having the ball because their skill is exceptional. When in possession, they retain it that often.

"As players in the press and defensively, we were highly concentrated on our job at hand. There was extensive movement and plenty of defending. But ultimately that led to success. I think that you have to be content securing victories in that manner as well."

Regarding her inspiration, Kelly Smith:

"I was fortunate of seeing her play a few times with my dad. Watching her internationally, too, her talent was remarkable. I hope that she could have played longer and she was active today, but she ranks among the greats.

"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."

The striker scored twelve goals in twenty-one games in the WSL the previous campaign to share the scoring award.

She was not just one of the deadliest players in the league but she was also a persistent danger in the penalty area all season long, attempting more efforts (seventy-three) and having a higher expected goals tally (9.7) than all her peers.

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

Fellow player Mariona Caldentey regularly played progressive passes into her, so effective ball retention was necessary.

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

If a defender got too close, Russo 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 fouled more than the forward (fifteen).

When the ball does stick, her control are highly effective. Her regular awareness of her environment means she stays conscious of where rivals are.

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

By keeping possession in difficult scenarios, Russo is regularly able to act as an release option for her team under pressure.

She can convert tough balls into long periods of stable possession and such phases in the opponent's final third result in scores, several of these she ends up scoring herself.