Women's Soccer Player of the Year Contender Alessia Russo

Years Old: 26 Playing Role: Striker Teams: The Gunners and the English national team

Alessia Russo made history with her club 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 played a key role in leading the Lionesses to the successful retention of their continental title.

Russo found the net in the Euro 2025 showpiece match and found her groove for her club, playing a crucial role throughout the season as an attacker and with her defensive efforts.

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

Russo finished as the WSL's co-leading goalscorer, earning a share of the top scorer award with her rival striker.

Russo netted 12 league goals for Arsenal and provided assists for a couple more.

Her name was put forward for the prestigious individual award and selected in the PFA and the Uefa Champions League 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 I'm getting my work done, 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. Our staff is excellent here at the club. I have great players to gain knowledge from as well. Then when the important matches come around, the more you do them, the more comfortable you become."

On winning Euro 2025 with England:

"The entire competition was a complete rollercoaster. There were ups and downs. It was emotionally really hard. We were physically drained.

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

"In my view the way that we won during the event was just grit and resilience. And we were aware that we had the squad, we knew that we had what it takes.

"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 so calm, 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 side such as Barça, you must accept not possessing the ball because they're so talented. When they do have the ball, they retain it that often.

"We as athletes in the high press and out of possession, we were really focused on our assigned tasks. It was a lot of running and plenty of defending. But in the end that led to success. I think that you have to be OK winning games like that as well."

Regarding her inspiration, Kelly Smith:

"I was fortunate of watching her a few times with my dad. Seeing her for England, too, her talent was remarkable. I hope that she could have played longer and she was active today, but she ranks among the greats.

"I believe anyone that has played with Kelly would agree and I didn't have the chance of experiencing that. But observing her play was someone that I greatly admired."

The striker scored 12 goals in twenty-one games in the Women's Super League 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 persistent danger in the penalty area all season long, 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 Mariona Caldentey regularly played forward balls into Russo, so effective ball retention was essential.

Her skill to drop deep, creating space from her nearby marker through quick, incisive runs was notable.

If a marker got in tight, Russo used her body well to draw fouls, helping her team secure the ball in the opponents' half. In the Champions' League last season, no player was drawn more fouls than the Arsenal striker (fifteen).

When the play settles, Russo's touches are highly effective. 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 defenders marking closely, before finding nearby team-mates oriented forward.

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

She can turn difficult passes into long periods of stable possession and such phases in the attacking zone result in scores, several of these she finishes personally.