Female Soccer Player of the Year Contender Alessia Russo

Years Old: 26 Playing Role: Forward Clubs: Arsenal and the English national team

The talented forward made history with her club as they emerged as the first British team to win the prestigious European competition since the Gunners did in 2008, and also played a key role in leading the Lionesses to the successful retention of their European Championship crown.

Russo found the net 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 honored as the FWA's top female player for the previous campaign.

She was the Women's Super League's joint top scorer, sharing the top scorer award with Khadija Shaw.

Russo netted twelve WSL goals for Arsenal and set up for a further two.

Her name was put forward for the 2025 Ballon d'Or and selected in the PFA and the European season's best XIs.

Russo on how she feels she has improved over the past year:

"My top performances come when I'm enjoying myself and I'm confident I'm training hard and completing my tasks, 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 tiny differences. I continue to develop. We have great coaches here at the club. I have great players to gain knowledge from as well. Then when the important matches come around, the greater your experience, the more comfortable you become."

On winning Euro 2025 with England:

"The entire competition 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, 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 during the event was just grit and resilience. And I think that we knew that we had the squad, 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 occasionally you have to grind out results."

On the Champions League final:

"The overriding feeling that stands out from that entire occasion was just being very composed, like we knew 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 aimed to achieve.

"Naturally playing against a side such as Barça, you must accept not having the ball because their skill is exceptional. When they do have the ball, they retain it that often.

"As players in the high press and out of possession, we were really focused on our assigned tasks. It was a lot of running and a lot of defensive work. But in the end that led to success. 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 got the pleasure of watching her a few times with my dad. Watching her internationally, too, her talent was remarkable. I hope that she could have played longer and she was active today, but she was one of the best ever.

"I believe those who teamed up with her would agree and I didn't have the chance of doing that. But watching her was someone that I always used to love."

The striker notched 12 goals in twenty-one games in the WSL the previous campaign to divide the scoring award.

She was not just one of the most clinical players in the competition but she was also a constant threat in the penalty area all season long, taking more shots (seventy-three) and recording a superior xG (nine point seven) than any other player.

Her capability to aid the side outside of her goals sets her apart.

Fellow player Mariona Caldentey often delivered progressive passes into Russo, so effective ball retention was necessary.

Her skill to drop deep, creating space from her opposing defender through sharp, darting movements was notable.

If a marker got too close, Russo used her physicality to win free-kicks, helping her team gain settled possession in the opponents' half. In the European tournament last season, no player was drawn more fouls than the forward (fifteen).

When the play settles, her control are extremely efficient. Her regular awareness of her environment means she stays conscious of where rivals are.

Russo takes minimal touches on the ball, directing it away from defenders applying player-to-player pressure, before finding close colleagues oriented forward.

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

She is able convert tough balls into extended spells of stable possession and these possessions in the attacking zone lead to goals, several of these she ends up scoring herself.