Women's Soccer Player of the Year Contender Alessia Russo

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

Alessia Russo made history with Arsenal as they emerged as the first English team to claim victory in the Women's Champions League since the Gunners did in 2008, and also played a key role in leading the Lionesses to the successful retention of their continental crown.

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

The forward was named the Football Writers' Association's women's footballer of the year for last season.

Russo finished as the Women's Super League's joint top scorer, sharing the Golden Boot with Khadija Shaw.

She scored twelve league goals for Arsenal and set up for a couple more.

She was also nominated for the 2025 Ballon d'Or and selected in the PFA and the European teams of the year.

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 that's something that are within my power.

"There's so many different aspects to a striker's role, it requires precision and there are so many fine margins. I continue to develop. Our staff is excellent here at the club. There are top teammates to gain knowledge from as well. Then when the important matches come around, the more you do them, the more comfortable you become."

On winning Euro 2025 with England:

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

"I recall after the Sweden [quarter-final] game, many players were really, really battered and bruised. The pressure was immense. But you've got to turn it around quickly. 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 what it takes.

"Facing the top sides in the world, the elite athletes in the world and sometimes you have to grind out results."

Discussing the European final:

"The overriding feeling that I can remember from that whole day was just being so calm, like we were confident our preparation was complete, we knew that we had the ability, and we knew that we believed in the strategy and what we aimed to achieve.

"Naturally playing against a side such as Barça, you must accept not having the ball because their skill is exceptional. When they do have the ball, they don't give it away frequently.

"As players in the press and defensively, we were highly concentrated on our job at hand. There was extensive movement and a lot of defensive work. But ultimately that's what got the job done. In my opinion you have to be content 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 couple of occasions with my father. Watching her internationally, too, she was just incredible. I wish that her career lasted more and she was active today, but she ranks among the greats.

"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 something that I always used to love."

Alessia Russo notched twelve goals in twenty-one games in the WSL the previous campaign to divide the scoring award.

Not only was she one of the deadliest players in the league but Russo was also a persistent danger in the box throughout the campaign, attempting more efforts (73) and recording a superior xG (nine point seven) than all her peers.

Her capability to aid the side beyond scoring distinguishes her.

Team-mate a teammate often delivered progressive passes into Russo, so strong hold-up play was necessary.

Russo's ability to drop deep, freeing herself from her opposing defender through sharp, darting movements stood out.

If a defender got in tight, she used her physicality to draw fouls, helping her team secure the ball in the enemy territory. In the European tournament the prior year, no player was fouled more 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, moving it clear from defenders applying player-to-player pressure, before locating nearby team-mates oriented forward.

By keeping possession in tough situations, she is often capable to act as an release option for her team under pressure.

She is able convert tough balls into extended spells of stable possession and such phases in the attacking zone lead to goals, several of these she ends up scoring herself.