Women's Footballer of the Year Contender Alessia Russo

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

Alessia Russo created a legacy with her club as they became the first English team to claim victory in the prestigious European competition since the Gunners did in 2008, and also helped guide England to the successful retention of their European Championship title.

She scored in the Euro 2025 final and found her groove for her club, playing a crucial role all campaign long as an attacker and with her work off the ball.

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

She was the Women's Super League's co-leading goalscorer, earning a share of the top scorer award with Khadija Shaw.

She scored 12 WSL goals for the club and set up for a further two.

Her name was put forward for the 2025 Ballon d'Or and named in the Professional Footballers' Association and the European season's best XIs.

Russo on how she feels she has improved 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 that's something that I can always control.

"There's so many different aspects to a striker's role, it requires precision and there are so many fine margins. I continue to develop. Our staff is excellent here at the club. There are top teammates 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 was emotionally really hard. It was taxing on our bodies.

"I remember after the Sweden [quarter-final] game, many players were extremely sore and injured. The pressure was immense. But you've got to turn it around quickly. 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.

"Facing the best teams in the world, the best players in the world and sometimes you have to grind out results."

On the Champions League final:

"The main emotion that stands out from that entire occasion was just being so calm, like we were confident we'd done the work, we knew that we had what it takes, and we knew that we trusted the strategy and what we wanted to do.

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

"As players in the 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 securing victories in that manner as well."

On Arsenal and England legend Kelly Smith being her idol:

"I was fortunate of seeing her play a couple of occasions with my father. Seeing her for England, too, her talent was remarkable. 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 didn't have the chance of doing that. But observing her play was something that I greatly admired."

Alessia Russo scored twelve goals in 21 games in the WSL last season to divide the Golden Boot.

She was not just one of the deadliest players in the league but Russo was also a constant threat in the penalty area all season long, taking more shots (73) and recording a superior xG (nine point seven) than all her peers.

Russo's ability to contribute to the team beyond scoring distinguishes her.

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

Russo's ability to drop deep, creating space from her nearby marker through quick, incisive runs stood out.

If a defender got in tight, she used her body well to win free-kicks, helping her team secure the ball in the opponents' half. In the European tournament last season, nobody was fouled more than the forward (15).

When the ball does stick, Russo's touches are extremely efficient. Her regular awareness of her surroundings means she stays conscious of where opponents are.

Russo takes few contacts on the ball, moving it clear from opposing players applying player-to-player pressure, before locating nearby team-mates oriented forward.

By retaining the ball in difficult scenarios, Russo is regularly able to act as an release option for her side in trouble.

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 ends up scoring herself.