Female Soccer Player of the Year Contender Alessia Russo

Age: 26 Playing Role: Forward Clubs: The Gunners and England

Alessia Russo created a legacy with Arsenal as they became the pioneering British team to claim victory in the Women's Champions League since the Gunners did in 2008, and also played a key role in leading England to the defence of their continental crown.

Russo found the net in the European Championship final and hit top form for her team, playing a crucial role all campaign long in front of goal and with her defensive efforts.

The forward was named the FWA's women's footballer of the year for the previous campaign.

Russo finished as the WSL's co-leading goalscorer, sharing the top scorer award with Khadija Shaw.

Russo netted twelve league goals for the club and set up for a further two.

Her name was put forward for the prestigious individual award and selected in the Professional Footballers' Association and the European teams of the year.

Russo on how she feels she has improved over the previous season:

"I play my best football when I'm enjoying myself 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. 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 you get used to them."

On winning Euro 2025 with England:

"The whole tournament was a complete rollercoaster. 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. It was so intense. But recovery had to be swift. It moves so fast.

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

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

Discussing the European final:

"The overriding feeling that I can remember from that entire occasion 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 trusted the game plan and what we aimed to achieve.

"Naturally 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 retain it frequently.

"As players in the high press and out of possession, we were really focused on our assigned tasks. It was a lot of running and a lot of defensive work. But in the end that's what got the job done. I think that you have to be OK winning games like that as well."

On Arsenal and England legend Kelly Smith being her idol:

"I got the pleasure of watching her a few times with my dad. Seeing her for England, too, she was just incredible. I wish that she could have played longer and still be playing now, but she ranks among the greats.

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

Alessia Russo scored 12 goals in twenty-one games in the Women's Super League the previous campaign to divide the Golden Boot.

She was not just one of the deadliest players in the league but Russo was also a persistent danger in the penalty area throughout the campaign, taking more shots (seventy-three) and having a higher expected goals tally (nine point seven) than all her peers.

Her capability to aid the side outside of her goals distinguishes her.

Team-mate Mariona Caldentey often delivered progressive passes into Russo, so effective ball retention was essential.

Her skill to drop deep, creating space from her opposing defender through sharp, darting movements stood out.

If a defender got too close, she used her body well to win free-kicks, helping her team gain settled possession in the enemy territory. In the European tournament last season, nobody was drawn more fouls than the Arsenal striker (15).

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

She uses few contacts on the ball, directing it away from opposing players marking closely, before locating close colleagues positioned facing towards the goal.

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

She can turn difficult passes into extended spells of controlled play and such phases in the attacking zone lead to goals, several of these she finishes personally.