Female Footballer of the Year Contender Alessia Russo

Age: 26 Playing Role: Forward Clubs: The Gunners and the English national team

Alessia Russo made history with Arsenal as they became the first British team to win the prestigious European competition since the Gunners did in the 2000s, and also helped guide England to the successful retention of their continental crown.

Russo found the net in the Euro 2025 showpiece match and hit top form for her team, playing a crucial role all campaign long in front of goal and with her work off the ball.

The forward was named the Football Writers' Association's women's footballer of the year for last season.

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

She scored 12 WSL goals for Arsenal and set up for a couple more.

She was also nominated for the 2025 Ballon d'Or and named in the PFA and the Uefa Champions League 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 my efforts in practice and I'm getting my work done, so that's something that I can always control.

"Numerous elements to a number nine position, it's so detailed and there are tiny differences. I'm always still learning. We have great coaches here at Arsenal. I have great players to gain knowledge from as well. Then when the big games come around, 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. We were physically drained.

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

"I think the way that we won during the event was just grit and resilience. And I think that we knew that we had the team, we knew that we had what it takes.

"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 stands out from that whole day was just being very composed, like we were confident we'd done the work, 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 side such as Barça, you must accept not possessing the ball because their skill is exceptional. When in possession, they retain it that often.

"We as athletes in the press and out of possession, we were highly concentrated on our job at hand. 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 content winning games like that as well."

On Arsenal and England legend Kelly Smith being her idol:

"I was fortunate of watching her a couple of occasions with my father. Seeing her for England, too, she was just incredible. I hope that her career lasted more and she was active today, but she ranks among the greats.

"I think anyone that has played with Kelly would say the same thing and I never got the pleasure of experiencing that. But observing her play was someone that I greatly admired."

Alessia Russo scored twelve goals in twenty-one games in the WSL last season to share the scoring award.

She was not just one of the most clinical players in the competition but Russo was also a persistent danger in the box throughout the campaign, attempting more efforts (73) and recording a superior xG (nine point seven) than all her peers.

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

Fellow player a teammate regularly played progressive passes into Russo, so strong hold-up play was necessary.

Her skill to retreat into midfield, freeing herself from her opposing defender through quick, incisive runs was notable.

If a defender got in tight, Russo used her physicality to win free-kicks, helping her team secure the ball in the enemy territory. In the European tournament last season, no player was fouled more than the Arsenal striker (fifteen).

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

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

By retaining the ball in tough situations, 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 finishes personally.