Women's Footballer of the Year Contender Alessia Russo

Age: 26 Playing Role: Striker Clubs: The Gunners and England

The talented forward made history with Arsenal as they became the pioneering British team to win the prestigious European competition since the North London side 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 Euro 2025 final and hit top form for her club, making significant contributions all campaign long as an attacker and with her work off the ball.

The forward was honored as the FWA's top female player for the previous campaign.

She was the WSL's joint top scorer, earning a share of the top scorer award with Khadija Shaw.

Russo netted 12 WSL goals for Arsenal and set up for a couple more.

She was also nominated for the prestigious individual award and selected in the Professional Footballers' Association and the Uefa Champions League 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 I'm training hard and completing my tasks, so that's something that I can always control.

"Numerous elements to a striker's role, it requires precision and there are so many fine margins. I'm always still learning. Our staff is excellent here at Arsenal. There are top teammates to learn off as well. Then when the big games come around, the more you do them, the more you get used to them."

On winning Euro 2025 with England:

"The entire competition was a total emotional ride. There were ups and downs. It was emotionally really hard. We were physically drained.

"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. It moves so fast.

"In my view the way that we won throughout that whole tournament was just grit and resilience. And I think that we knew that we had the squad, we knew that we had what it takes.

"You're playing against the best teams in the world, the best players in the world and sometimes you have to grind out results."

Discussing the European final:

"The main emotion that stands out from that whole day was just being very composed, like we knew we'd done the work, we knew that we had the ability, and we knew that we believed in the game plan and what we wanted to do.

"Naturally playing against a team like Barcelona, you've got to be comfortable not possessing 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 defensively, we were highly concentrated on our assigned tasks. There was extensive movement and plenty of defending. But ultimately that led to success. In my opinion 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 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 believe anyone that has played with Kelly would agree and I never got the pleasure of doing that. But watching her was something that I always used to love."

Alessia Russo notched 12 goals in twenty-one games in the WSL last season to divide the scoring award.

She was not just one of the deadliest players in the competition but she was also a persistent danger in the box throughout the campaign, attempting more efforts (73) and recording a superior xG (nine point seven) than all her peers.

Russo's ability to aid the side outside of her goals sets her apart.

Fellow player a teammate regularly played progressive passes into Russo, so effective ball retention was essential.

Her skill to retreat into midfield, creating space from her nearby marker through quick, incisive runs was notable.

If a marker got too close, she used her body well to win free-kicks, assisting the side gain settled possession in the opponents' half. In the Champions' League last season, no player was fouled more than the forward (15).

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

Russo takes few contacts on the ball, moving it clear from opposing players applying player-to-player pressure, before locating close colleagues positioned facing towards the goal.

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

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