Women's Soccer Player of the Year Contender Russo

Age: 26 Playing Role: Striker Teams: Arsenal and the English national team

Alessia Russo made history with Arsenal as they emerged as the first British team to win the Women's Champions League since the Gunners did in the 2000s, and also helped guide England to the successful retention of their European Championship title.

She scored in the Euro 2025 showpiece match and hit top form for her club, playing a crucial role throughout the season as an attacker and with her work off the ball.

Russo was named the Football Writers' Association's women's footballer of the year for the previous campaign.

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

Russo netted twelve league goals for Arsenal and provided assists for a further two.

Her name was put forward for the 2025 Ballon d'Or and selected in the PFA and the Uefa Champions League teams of the year.

Her thoughts on personal development over the previous season:

"My top performances come when I'm enjoying myself and I'm confident I'm training hard 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'm always still learning. We have great coaches here at the club. I have great players to gain knowledge from as well. Then when the big games arrive, the greater your experience, the more comfortable you become."

On winning Euro 2025 with England:

"The entire competition was a total emotional ride. There were ups and downs. It tested us mentally. We were physically drained.

"I recall after the Sweden [quarter-final] game, a lot of us were really, really battered and bruised. 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.

"Facing the top sides in the world, the best players in the world and occasionally you have to grind out results."

On the Champions League final:

"The overriding feeling that I can remember from that whole day was just being very composed, like we knew our preparation was complete, we knew that we had what it takes, and we knew that we believed in the game plan and what we wanted to do.

"Obviously playing against a team like Barcelona, you must accept not having the ball because their skill is exceptional. When they do have the ball, they don't give it away frequently.

"As players in the high press and defensively, we were highly concentrated on our job at hand. It was a lot of running and plenty of defending. But ultimately that's what got the job done. I think that 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 couple of occasions with my dad. Watching her internationally, too, she was just incredible. I wish that she could have played longer and she was active today, but she was one of the best ever.

"I think those who teamed up with her would agree and I never got the pleasure of experiencing that. But watching her was something that I greatly admired."

The striker scored 12 goals in 21 games in the WSL the previous campaign to divide the Golden Boot.

Not only was she one of the deadliest players in the competition but she was also a persistent danger in the penalty area all season long, attempting more efforts (seventy-three) and recording a superior xG (9.7) than any other player.

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

Fellow player a teammate often delivered progressive passes into her, so strong hold-up play was essential.

Her skill to retreat into midfield, freeing herself from her nearby marker through sharp, darting movements was notable.

If a marker got too close, she used her body well to win free-kicks, helping her team gain settled possession in the opponents' half. In the Champions' League the prior year, nobody was fouled more than the Arsenal striker (15).

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

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

By keeping possession 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 long periods of controlled play and these possessions in the attacking zone lead to goals, many of which she ends up scoring herself.