Women's Soccer Player of the Year Contender Alessia Russo

Years Old: 26 Playing Role: Striker Clubs: The Gunners and England

Alessia Russo created a legacy with Arsenal as they emerged as the first British team to win the Women's Champions League since the Gunners did in 2008, and also played a key role in leading the Lionesses to the defence of their European Championship crown.

Russo found the net in the Euro 2025 final and found her groove for her team, making significant contributions all campaign long in front of goal and with her work off the ball.

Russo was named the FWA's top female player for the previous campaign.

She was the Women's Super League's co-leading goalscorer, sharing the Golden Boot with her rival striker.

She scored 12 WSL goals for the club and set up for a further two.

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

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

"I play my best football when I'm enjoying myself and I know I'm training hard and completing my tasks, 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'm always still learning. We have great coaches here at the club. There are top teammates to learn off as well. Then when the big games come around, the greater your experience, the more you get used to them."

On winning Euro 2025 with England:

"The whole tournament was a complete rollercoaster. It was highs and lows. It was emotionally really hard. It was taxing on our bodies.

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

"I think 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.

"Facing the best teams in the world, the elite athletes in the world and sometimes you have to grind out results."

On the Champions League final:

"The main emotion that I can remember from that entire occasion 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.

"Naturally playing against a side such as Barça, you've got to be comfortable not having the ball because their skill is exceptional. When they do have the ball, they retain it that often.

"As players in the press and defensively, we were really focused on our assigned tasks. There was extensive movement and a lot of defensive work. But in the end that led to success. 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 watching her a couple of occasions with my dad. Watching her internationally, too, her talent was remarkable. I hope that she could have played longer and she was active today, 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 experiencing that. But observing her play was someone that I always used to love."

Alessia Russo scored 12 goals in 21 games in the Women's Super League the previous campaign to divide the scoring award.

She was not just one of the deadliest players in the league but she was also a constant threat in the box throughout the campaign, attempting more efforts (73) and having a higher expected goals tally (9.7) than any other player.

Her capability to aid the side beyond scoring sets her apart.

Team-mate a teammate often delivered forward balls into her, so effective ball retention was essential.

Russo's ability to retreat into midfield, creating space from her nearby marker through quick, incisive runs stood out.

If a defender got in tight, she used her physicality to draw fouls, assisting the side gain settled possession in the enemy territory. In the Champions' League the prior year, nobody was fouled more than the forward (15).

When the ball does stick, Russo's touches are extremely efficient. Her frequent scanning of her surroundings means she stays conscious of where rivals are.

Russo takes minimal touches on the ball, moving it clear from defenders applying player-to-player pressure, before locating close colleagues oriented forward.

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

She can convert tough balls into long periods of stable possession and such phases in the opponent's final third lead to goals, several of these she ends up scoring herself.