Women's Soccer Player of the Year Candidate Russo

Years Old: 26 Position: Forward Teams: Arsenal and the English national team

Alessia Russo made history with Arsenal as they became the pioneering British team to win the Women's Champions League since the North London side did in 2008, and also played a key role in leading England to the successful retention of their European Championship title.

Russo found the net in the European Championship final and found her groove for her team, making significant contributions throughout the season as an attacker and with her work off the ball.

Russo was named the Football Writers' Association's top female player for the previous campaign.

She was the WSL's joint top scorer, earning a share of the Golden Boot with her rival striker.

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 past year:

"My top performances come when I'm having fun and I'm confident my efforts in practice 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 tiny differences. I continue to develop. Our staff is excellent here at Arsenal. I have great players 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 was emotionally really hard. We were physically drained.

"I recall after the last-eight game, many players were extremely sore and injured. The pressure was immense. But recovery had to be swift. 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 team, we knew that we had the necessary qualities.

"You're playing against the top sides 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 entire occasion 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 believed in the strategy and what we aimed to achieve.

"Naturally playing against a side such as Barça, you've got to be comfortable not having the ball because they're so talented. When in possession, they retain it frequently.

"We as athletes in the high press and defensively, we were highly concentrated on our assigned tasks. There was extensive movement and plenty of defending. But ultimately 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 seeing her play a couple of occasions with my father. Watching her internationally, too, she was just incredible. I wish that she could have played longer and still be playing now, but she ranks among the greats.

"I believe anyone that has played with Kelly would say the same thing and I didn't have the chance of doing that. But watching her was something that I always used to love."

The striker scored 12 goals in 21 games in the Women's Super League last season to divide the Golden Boot.

She was not just one of the deadliest players in the competition but she was also a constant threat in the box throughout the campaign, attempting more efforts (73) and having a higher expected goals tally (nine point seven) than any other player.

Russo's ability to contribute to the team beyond scoring sets her apart.

Fellow player a teammate often delivered forward balls into Russo, so strong hold-up play was essential.

Russo's ability to retreat into midfield, creating space from her nearby marker through sharp, darting movements was notable.

If a defender got too close, Russo used her body well to draw fouls, assisting the side secure the ball in the enemy territory. In the European tournament last season, nobody was drawn more fouls than the forward (fifteen).

When the ball does stick, her control are extremely efficient. Her regular awareness of her surroundings means she remains aware of where rivals are.

She uses minimal touches on the ball, directing it away from defenders applying player-to-player pressure, before locating nearby team-mates oriented forward.

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

She can turn difficult passes into long periods of stable possession and these possessions in the opponent's final third result in scores, many of which she ends up scoring herself.