Female Footballer of the Year Contender Alessia Russo

Age: 26 Position: Striker Teams: The Gunners and England

Alessia Russo made history with her club as they emerged as the pioneering British team to win the Women's Champions League since the Gunners did in 2008, and also helped guide England to the defence of their European Championship title.

She scored in the Euro 2025 final and found her groove for her team, playing a crucial role all campaign long as an attacker and with her work off the ball.

The forward was honored as the FWA's women's footballer of the year for the previous campaign.

Russo finished as the WSL's joint top scorer, earning a share of the Golden Boot with Khadija Shaw.

She scored twelve league goals for Arsenal and set up for a further two.

Her name was put forward for the prestigious individual award 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:

"My top performances come when I'm having fun and I'm confident I'm training hard and completing my tasks, so that's something that are within my power.

"There's so many different aspects to a number nine position, it requires precision and there are so many fine margins. I continue to develop. We have great coaches here at the club. There are top teammates to gain knowledge from as well. Then when the important matches arrive, the more you do them, the more you get used to them."

Reflecting on England's European triumph:

"The entire competition was a complete rollercoaster. There were ups and downs. It tested us mentally. It was taxing on our bodies.

"I remember after the last-eight game, a lot of us were extremely sore and injured. It was so intense. But you've got to turn it around quickly. The schedule is relentless.

"In my view the way that we won throughout that whole tournament was just determination and toughness. And I think that we knew that we had the squad, we knew that we had what it takes.

"You're playing against the top sides in the world, the best players in the world and occasionally you have to win a little bit dirty."

Discussing the European final:

"The overriding feeling 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 trusted the strategy and what we aimed to achieve.

"Obviously playing against a team like Barcelona, you've got to be comfortable 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 press and defensively, we were highly concentrated on our assigned tasks. It was a lot of running and a lot of defensive work. But ultimately that led to success. In my opinion you have to be OK winning games like that as well."

Regarding her inspiration, Kelly Smith:

"I was fortunate of watching her a couple of occasions with my father. Seeing her for England, too, her talent was remarkable. I wish that she could have played longer and still be playing now, but she was one of the best ever.

"I think anyone that has played with Kelly would agree and I never got the pleasure of experiencing that. But watching her was something that I always used to love."

The striker scored twelve goals in 21 games in the WSL last season to divide the Golden Boot.

She was not just one of the most clinical players in the league but Russo was also a constant threat in the box throughout the campaign, attempting more efforts (seventy-three) and having a higher expected goals tally (9.7) than all her peers.

Her capability to contribute to the team beyond scoring sets her apart.

Team-mate a teammate often delivered forward balls into her, so strong hold-up play was essential.

Russo's ability to drop deep, freeing herself from her nearby marker through quick, incisive runs was notable.

If a marker got in tight, she used her physicality to draw fouls, assisting the side secure the ball in the enemy territory. In the European tournament the prior year, no player was drawn more fouls than the Arsenal striker (15).

When the play settles, Russo's touches are extremely efficient. Her regular awareness of her surroundings means she stays conscious of where rivals are.

She uses few contacts on the ball, directing it away from defenders marking closely, before locating nearby team-mates oriented forward.

By keeping possession in difficult scenarios, Russo is often capable to act as an outlet for her team under pressure.

She can convert tough balls into long periods of controlled play and these possessions in the opponent's final third lead to goals, many of which she ends up scoring herself.