Women's Soccer Player of the Year Contender Russo

Years Old: 26 Playing Role: Forward Clubs: The Gunners and England

The talented forward created a legacy with her club as they became the pioneering English team to win the Women's Champions League since the Gunners did in the 2000s, and also played a key role in leading England to the defence of their continental crown.

Russo found the net in the Euro 2025 final and found her groove for her team, making significant contributions all campaign long as an attacker and with her defensive efforts.

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

She was the Women's Super League's joint top scorer, sharing the top scorer award with Khadija Shaw.

Russo netted twelve league goals for the club and provided assists for a couple more.

She was also nominated for the prestigious individual award and selected in the Professional Footballers' Association and the Uefa Champions League season's best XIs.

Her thoughts on personal development over the past year:

"I play my best football 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 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 big games arrive, the greater your experience, the more comfortable you become."

On winning Euro 2025 with England:

"The entire competition was a total emotional ride. There were ups and downs. It was emotionally really hard. We were physically drained.

"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. The schedule is relentless.

"I think the way that we won during the event 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 best players in the world and occasionally you have to win a little bit dirty."

Discussing the European final:

"The overriding feeling that I can remember from that whole day was just being very composed, like we knew we'd done the work, 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 side such as Barça, you've got to be comfortable not having the ball because they're so talented. When they do have the ball, they retain it frequently.

"We as athletes in the press and out of possession, we were really focused on our assigned tasks. It was a lot of running and plenty of defending. But ultimately that's what got the job done. In my opinion you have to be OK securing victories in that manner as well."

On Arsenal and England legend Kelly Smith being her idol:

"I was fortunate of watching her a couple of occasions with my father. Watching her internationally, too, her talent was remarkable. I wish that her career lasted more and still be playing now, but she ranks among the greats.

"I think anyone that has played with Kelly would agree and I never got the pleasure of doing that. But observing her play was something that I always used to love."

Alessia Russo scored twelve goals in 21 games in the WSL the previous campaign to divide the scoring award.

Not only was she one of the deadliest players in the competition but she was also a constant threat 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.

Russo's ability to aid the side outside of her goals sets her apart.

Team-mate a teammate often delivered forward balls into her, so effective ball retention was essential.

Her skill to retreat into midfield, creating space from her nearby marker through sharp, darting movements stood out.

If a marker got too close, Russo used her physicality to draw fouls, assisting the side secure the ball in the opponents' half. In the Champions' League the prior year, nobody was fouled more than the Arsenal striker (fifteen).

When the play settles, her control are extremely efficient. Her frequent scanning of her environment means she remains aware of where rivals are.

She uses few contacts on the ball, directing it away from defenders marking closely, before locating nearby team-mates positioned facing towards the goal.

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

She is able convert tough balls into extended spells of stable possession and these possessions in the opponent's final third result in scores, several of these she finishes personally.