Women's Footballer of the Year Contender Russo

Age: 26 Position: Forward Clubs: The Gunners and England

Alessia Russo created a legacy with her club as they became the first British team to win the Women's Champions League since the North London side did in 2008, and also played a key role in leading the Lionesses to the defence of their European Championship crown.

Russo found the net in the European Championship showpiece match and found her groove for her club, making significant contributions throughout the season as an attacker and with her work off the ball.

Russo was honored as the FWA's top female player for last season.

She was the WSL's joint top scorer, earning a share of the top scorer award with Khadija Shaw.

Russo netted 12 league goals for the club and provided assists for a couple more.

She was also nominated for the 2025 Ballon d'Or and named in the PFA and the Uefa Champions League teams of the year.

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 that's something that are within my power.

"Numerous elements to a number nine position, it's so detailed and there are so many fine margins. I'm always still learning. We have great coaches here at the club. I have great players to learn off as well. Then when the big games come around, the more you do them, the more comfortable you become."

Reflecting on England's European triumph:

"The whole tournament was a complete rollercoaster. It was highs and lows. It tested us mentally. We were physically drained.

"I remember after the Sweden [quarter-final] game, a lot of us were really, really battered and bruised. The pressure was immense. But you've got to turn it around quickly. It moves so fast.

"In my view 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 the necessary qualities.

"You're playing against the best teams in the world, the best players in the world and occasionally you have to grind out results."

On the Champions League final:

"The main emotion that I can remember from that entire occasion 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 game plan and what we aimed to achieve.

"Obviously playing against a team like Barcelona, you must accept not having the ball because they're so talented. When in possession, they don't give it away that often.

"As players in the high press and defensively, we were highly concentrated on our job at hand. There was extensive movement and plenty of defending. 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."

Regarding her inspiration, Kelly Smith:

"I was fortunate of watching her a couple of occasions with my father. Seeing her for England, too, she was just incredible. I wish that she could have played longer and she was active today, but she ranks among the greats.

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

The striker notched twelve 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 most clinical players in the competition but she was also a persistent danger in the box all season long, taking more shots (seventy-three) and recording a superior xG (nine point seven) than all her peers.

Her capability to contribute to the team outside of her goals sets her apart.

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

Her skill to drop deep, creating space from her nearby marker through quick, incisive runs 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 European tournament the prior year, nobody was fouled more than the forward (fifteen).

When the play settles, her control are highly effective. Her frequent scanning of her surroundings means she stays conscious of where rivals are.

She uses minimal touches on the ball, directing it away from defenders applying player-to-player pressure, before finding close colleagues positioned facing towards the goal.

By retaining the ball in difficult scenarios, Russo is often capable to act as an release option for her team under pressure.

She is able turn difficult passes into extended spells of stable possession and these possessions in the opponent's final third result in scores, several of these she ends up scoring herself.