Women's Soccer Player of the Year Candidate Russo

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

Alessia Russo made history with her club as they emerged as the first British team to claim victory in the prestigious European competition since the Gunners did in 2008, and also helped guide the Lionesses to the defence of their European Championship title.

Russo found the net in the European Championship final and found her groove for her team, playing a crucial role all campaign long as an attacker and with her defensive efforts.

Russo was named the FWA's top female player for the previous campaign.

Russo finished as the WSL's co-leading goalscorer, earning a share of the Golden Boot with Khadija Shaw.

She scored 12 league goals for the club and provided assists for a further two.

She was also nominated for the 2025 Ballon d'Or and selected in the Professional Footballers' Association and the European season's best XIs.

Her thoughts on personal development over the past year:

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

"There's so many different aspects to a number nine position, it's so detailed and there are so many fine margins. I continue to develop. We have great coaches here at Arsenal. There are top teammates to gain knowledge from as well. Then when the important matches arrive, the greater your experience, the more comfortable you become."

On winning Euro 2025 with England:

"The entire competition was a total emotional ride. It was highs and lows. It tested us mentally. It was taxing on our bodies.

"I recall after the last-eight game, many players were extremely sore and injured. The pressure was immense. But recovery had to be swift. It moves so fast.

"I think the way that we won during the event was just grit and resilience. And we were aware that we had the team, we knew that we had what it takes.

"You're playing against the top sides in the world, the best players in the world and sometimes you have to win a little bit dirty."

Discussing the European final:

"The main emotion that I can remember from that whole day 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 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 they do have the ball, they don't give it away that often.

"We as athletes in the press and out of possession, we were highly concentrated on our assigned tasks. It was a lot of running and plenty of defending. But in the end 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 seeing her play a few times with my father. Watching her internationally, too, her talent was remarkable. I wish that she could have played longer and she was active today, but she ranks among the greats.

"I think anyone that has played with Kelly would say the same thing and I never got the pleasure of experiencing that. But watching her was something that I greatly admired."

The striker scored twelve goals in twenty-one games in the WSL last season to divide the Golden Boot.

She was not just one of the most clinical players in the league but she was also a constant threat in the box all season long, attempting more efforts (73) and recording a superior xG (9.7) than all her peers.

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

Team-mate a teammate regularly played progressive passes into her, so effective ball retention was necessary.

Her skill to retreat into midfield, freeing herself from her opposing defender through sharp, darting movements stood out.

If a marker got too close, she used her physicality to win free-kicks, helping her team secure the ball in the enemy territory. In the Champions' League last season, no player was fouled more than the forward (15).

When the ball does stick, Russo's touches are extremely efficient. Her frequent scanning of her surroundings means she remains aware of where rivals are.

She uses minimal touches on the ball, directing it away from opposing players applying player-to-player pressure, before locating close colleagues oriented forward.

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

She can convert tough balls into extended spells of controlled play and such phases in the opponent's final third lead to goals, several of these she ends up scoring herself.