Women's Soccer Player of the Year Contender Alessia Russo

Age: 26 Playing Role: Forward Teams: Arsenal and the English national team

Alessia Russo created a legacy with Arsenal as they became the pioneering English team to win the Women's Champions League since the Gunners did in 2008, and also helped guide the Lionesses to the successful retention of their continental crown.

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

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

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 the club and provided assists for a further two.

Her name was put forward for the prestigious individual award and named in the Professional Footballers' Association and the European teams of the year.

Russo on how she feels she has improved over the previous season:

"My top performances come when I'm having fun and I know my efforts in practice and I'm getting my work done, so those are aspects that I can always control.

"There's so many different aspects 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 Arsenal. There are top teammates to gain knowledge from as well. Then when the big games come around, the more you do them, the more comfortable you become."

On winning Euro 2025 with England:

"The whole tournament was a complete rollercoaster. There were ups and downs. It tested us mentally. We were physically drained.

"I remember after the Sweden [quarter-final] game, many players were really, really battered and bruised. It was so intense. But recovery had to be swift. The schedule is relentless.

"In my view the way that we won during the event 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 elite athletes in the world and occasionally you have to grind out results."

On the Champions League final:

"The main emotion that I can remember from that whole day was just being very composed, like we were confident our preparation was complete, we knew that we had what it takes, and we knew that we believed in the game plan and what we aimed to achieve.

"Obviously playing against a side such as Barça, you must accept not having the ball because they're so talented. When they do have the ball, they retain it frequently.

"We as athletes in the high press and out of possession, we were highly concentrated on our assigned tasks. There was extensive movement and a lot of defensive work. But ultimately that led to success. I think that you have to be content winning games like that as well."

Regarding her inspiration, Kelly Smith:

"I was fortunate of watching her a couple of occasions with my dad. Watching her internationally, too, she was just incredible. I hope that she could have played longer 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 always used to love."

Alessia Russo scored twelve goals in 21 games in the Women's Super League the previous campaign to divide the Golden Boot.

Not only was she one of the deadliest players in the competition but Russo was also a persistent danger in the penalty area throughout the campaign, taking more shots (73) and recording a superior xG (nine point seven) than all her peers.

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 effective ball retention was essential.

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

If a defender got too close, she used her physicality to draw fouls, helping her team gain settled possession in the enemy territory. In the Champions' League last season, no player was drawn more fouls than the forward (fifteen).

When the ball does stick, Russo's touches are extremely efficient. Her frequent scanning of her environment means she remains aware of where rivals are.

She uses few contacts on the ball, moving it clear from opposing players marking closely, before locating close colleagues oriented forward.

By keeping possession in difficult scenarios, Russo is often capable to act as an release option for her side in trouble.

She can turn difficult passes into extended spells of controlled play and such phases in the attacking zone lead to goals, several of these she ends up scoring herself.