Women's Footballer of the Year Candidate Alessia Russo

Years Old: 26 Playing Role: Striker Teams: Arsenal and England

Alessia Russo created a legacy with Arsenal as they became the pioneering English team to win the Women's Champions League since the North London side did in 2008, and also played a key role in leading England to the successful retention of their continental crown.

She scored in the European Championship final and hit top form for her team, making significant contributions all campaign long as an attacker and with her work off the ball.

The forward was named the Football Writers' Association's top female player for last season.

She was the WSL's joint top scorer, earning a share of the Golden Boot with her rival striker.

Russo netted 12 WSL goals for Arsenal and provided assists for a couple more.

She was also nominated for the 2025 Ballon d'Or and named in the PFA and the European season's best XIs.

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

"I play my best football when I'm enjoying myself and I'm confident I'm training hard and I'm getting my work done, so those are aspects that I can always control.

"Numerous elements to a striker's role, it requires precision and there are tiny differences. 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 arrive, the greater your experience, the more comfortable you become."

Reflecting on England's European triumph:

"The whole tournament was a total emotional ride. There were ups and downs. It was emotionally really hard. It was taxing on our bodies.

"I remember after the last-eight 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.

"In my view the way that we won during the event was just determination and toughness. And I think that we knew that we had the team, we knew that we had the necessary qualities.

"You're playing against the best teams in the world, the elite athletes 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 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 wanted to do.

"Obviously playing against a side such as Barça, you've got to be comfortable not possessing the ball because their skill is exceptional. When they do have the ball, they don't give it away frequently.

"We as athletes in the press and defensively, we were highly concentrated on our assigned tasks. There was extensive movement and plenty of defending. But in the end that led to success. 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 was fortunate of seeing her play a few times with my dad. Seeing her for England, 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 believe those who teamed up with her would say the same thing and I didn't have the chance of experiencing that. But observing her play was something that I greatly admired."

Alessia Russo notched 12 goals in 21 games in the Women's Super League last season to divide the scoring award.

Not only was she one of the deadliest players in the league but she was also a constant threat in the penalty area all season long, attempting more efforts (seventy-three) and having a higher expected goals tally (nine point seven) than any other player.

Her capability to aid the side beyond scoring distinguishes her.

Fellow player Mariona Caldentey often delivered forward balls into Russo, so effective ball retention was essential.

Her skill to drop deep, freeing herself from her nearby marker through quick, incisive runs was notable.

If a defender got too close, Russo used her physicality to win free-kicks, helping her team gain settled possession in the opponents' half. In the Champions' League last season, nobody was drawn more fouls than the forward (fifteen).

When the ball does stick, Russo's touches are highly effective. Her regular awareness of her environment means she stays conscious of where opponents are.

She uses few contacts on the ball, directing it away from defenders marking closely, before finding close colleagues oriented forward.

By retaining the ball in tough situations, she is often capable to act as an outlet for her side in trouble.

She is able convert tough balls into long periods of stable possession and such phases in the attacking zone result in scores, several of these she finishes personally.