Women's Footballer of the Year Candidate Russo

Age: 26 Playing Role: Forward Teams: The Gunners and England

Alessia Russo made history with her club as they emerged as the first British team to claim victory in 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.

She scored in the European Championship final and hit top form for her club, making significant contributions all campaign long as an attacker and with her defensive efforts.

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

She was the Women's Super League's co-leading goalscorer, sharing the Golden Boot with Khadija Shaw.

She scored 12 league goals for the club and provided assists for a further two.

She was also nominated for the 2025 Ballon d'Or and named in the PFA and the European season's best XIs.

Russo on how she feels she has improved over the past year:

"I play my best football when I'm having fun and I'm confident I'm training hard and I'm getting my work done, so that's something that I can always control.

"There's so many different aspects to a striker's role, it requires precision and there are tiny differences. I continue to develop. Our staff is excellent here at Arsenal. There are top teammates 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 whole tournament was a total emotional ride. 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. It was so intense. But recovery had to be swift. It moves so fast.

"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.

"Facing the best teams in the world, the best players in the world and sometimes you have to win a little bit dirty."

Discussing the European final:

"The main emotion that stands out from that whole day was just being so calm, like we knew 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.

"Obviously playing against a side such as Barça, you must accept not having the ball because they're so talented. When in possession, they retain it that often.

"We as athletes in the high press and out of possession, we were really focused on our job at hand. There was extensive movement and a lot of defensive work. But ultimately that led to success. In my opinion you have to be OK securing victories in that manner as well."

On Arsenal and England legend Kelly Smith being her idol:

"I got the pleasure of seeing her play a few times with my father. Watching her internationally, too, her talent was remarkable. I hope that she could have played longer and still be playing now, but she was one of the best ever.

"I believe anyone that has played with Kelly would say the same thing and I never got the pleasure of doing that. But watching her was someone that I always used to love."

The striker notched twelve goals in twenty-one games in the Women's Super League last season to share the scoring award.

Not only was she one of the most clinical players in the league but she was also a constant threat in the box all season long, 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.

Fellow player Mariona Caldentey often delivered forward balls into Russo, so strong hold-up play was necessary.

Russo's ability to drop deep, freeing herself from her nearby marker through sharp, darting movements was notable.

If a marker got too close, she used her physicality to draw fouls, assisting the side secure the ball in the opponents' half. In the European tournament last season, no player was fouled more than the forward (15).

When the ball does stick, Russo's touches are extremely efficient. Her regular awareness of her environment means she stays conscious of where rivals are.

Russo takes minimal touches on the ball, directing it away from defenders applying player-to-player pressure, before finding close colleagues oriented forward.

By keeping possession in tough situations, she is often capable to act as an release option for her side in trouble.

She can convert tough balls into extended spells of stable possession and these possessions in the opponent's final third lead to goals, many of which she ends up scoring herself.