Female Footballer of the Year Contender Alessia Russo

Age: 26 Playing Role: Striker Teams: Arsenal and England

The talented forward made history with Arsenal as they emerged as the first English team to claim victory in the Women's Champions League since the Gunners did in the 2000s, and also helped guide England to the defence of their European Championship title.

Russo found the net in the Euro 2025 final and found her groove for her team, playing a crucial role throughout the season as an attacker and with her work off the ball.

Russo was honored as the FWA's women's footballer of the year for last season.

Russo finished as the Women's Super League's joint top scorer, sharing the top scorer award with Khadija Shaw.

Russo netted twelve WSL goals for the club 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 Uefa Champions League teams of the year.

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

"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 are within my power.

"Numerous elements 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. 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."

Reflecting on England's European triumph:

"The entire competition was a complete rollercoaster. It was highs and lows. It tested us mentally. It was taxing on our bodies.

"I recall after the Sweden [quarter-final] game, many players were extremely sore and injured. 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 best teams in the world, the best players in the world and occasionally you have to grind out results."

Discussing the European final:

"The overriding feeling that I can remember from that whole day 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 wanted to do.

"Naturally playing against a team like Barcelona, you've got to be comfortable not possessing the ball because they're so talented. When in possession, they retain it that often.

"As players in the high press and defensively, we were highly concentrated on our job at hand. There was extensive movement and plenty of defending. But ultimately 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 was fortunate of seeing her play a couple of occasions with my father. Watching her internationally, too, she was just incredible. I hope that her career lasted more and still be playing now, but she was one of the best ever.

"I believe those who teamed up with her would say the same thing and I didn't have the chance of doing that. But observing her play was something that I always used to love."

Alessia Russo scored 12 goals in twenty-one games in the Women's Super League last season to divide the scoring award.

She was not just one of the most clinical players in the league but Russo was also a constant threat in the box all season long, taking more shots (73) and having a higher expected goals tally (9.7) than any other player.

Russo's ability to contribute to the team outside of her goals sets her apart.

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

Her skill to drop deep, freeing herself from her nearby marker through sharp, darting movements stood out.

If a defender got in tight, she used her physicality to win free-kicks, helping her team secure the ball in the opponents' half. In the Champions' League the prior year, nobody was drawn more fouls than the Arsenal striker (fifteen).

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

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

By keeping possession in tough situations, Russo is regularly able to act as an outlet for her team under pressure.

She can turn difficult passes into extended spells of stable possession and such phases in the opponent's final third result in scores, many of which she ends up scoring herself.