Women's Soccer Player of the Year Candidate Russo

Years Old: 26 Playing Role: Forward Clubs: Arsenal and England

The talented forward created a legacy with her club as they emerged as the first British team to win the Women's Champions League since the North London side did in the 2000s, and also played a key role in leading the Lionesses to the successful retention of their continental title.

She scored in the Euro 2025 showpiece match and found her groove for her club, making significant contributions all campaign long in front of goal and with her work off the ball.

Russo was honored as the Football Writers' Association's top female player for the previous campaign.

Russo finished as the Women's Super League's joint top scorer, sharing the Golden Boot with her rival striker.

Russo netted twelve league goals for Arsenal and set up for a couple more.

She was also nominated for the 2025 Ballon d'Or and named in the Professional Footballers' Association and the Uefa Champions League season's best XIs.

Her thoughts on personal development over the previous season:

"I play my best football when I'm having fun and I'm confident I'm training hard and completing my tasks, so those are aspects that are within my power.

"Numerous elements to a number nine position, it's so detailed and there are tiny differences. I'm always still learning. We have great coaches here at Arsenal. There are top teammates to learn off as well. Then when the big games arrive, the more you do them, the more you get used to them."

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 recall after the last-eight game, a lot of us were really, really battered and bruised. It was so intense. But recovery had to be swift. The schedule is relentless.

"In my view the way that we won during the event was just determination and toughness. 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 grind out results."

Discussing the European final:

"The main emotion that I can remember from that whole day was just being so calm, like we knew we'd done the work, we knew that we had the ability, and we knew that we trusted the game plan and what we aimed to achieve.

"Naturally playing against a team like Barcelona, you've got to be comfortable not having the ball because they're so talented. When they do have the ball, they don't give it away frequently.

"We as athletes in the high press and defensively, we were really focused on our job at hand. It was a lot of running and a lot of defensive work. But in the end that led to success. In my opinion you have to be content securing victories in that manner as well."

Regarding her inspiration, Kelly Smith:

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

"I believe anyone that has played with Kelly would agree and I didn't have the chance of experiencing that. But observing her play was something that I greatly admired."

Alessia Russo scored twelve goals in twenty-one games in the Women's Super League the previous campaign to share the scoring award.

She was not just one of the most clinical players in the league but she was also a persistent danger in the box throughout the campaign, attempting more efforts (seventy-three) and having a higher expected goals tally (nine point seven) than any other player.

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

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

Russo's ability to retreat into midfield, creating space from her nearby marker through sharp, darting movements was notable.

If a marker got in tight, Russo used her body well to win free-kicks, helping her team gain settled possession in the opponents' half. In the Champions' League last season, no player was drawn more fouls than the Arsenal striker (15).

When the play settles, Russo's touches are extremely efficient. Her regular awareness of her environment means she stays conscious of where opponents are.

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

By keeping possession in difficult scenarios, she is often capable to act as an release option for her side in trouble.

She is able convert tough balls into long periods of stable possession and these possessions in the opponent's final third lead to goals, several of these she ends up scoring herself.