Female Soccer Player of the Year Contender Alessia Russo

Age: 26 Position: Forward Teams: The Gunners and the English national team

Alessia Russo made history with Arsenal as they emerged as the pioneering British team to win the Women's Champions League since the North London side did in 2008, and also helped guide the Lionesses to the defence of their continental title.

She scored in the Euro 2025 showpiece match and found her groove for her club, playing a crucial role all campaign long as an attacker and with her work off the ball.

Russo was named the Football Writers' Association's women's footballer of the year for last season.

She was the WSL's co-leading goalscorer, earning a share of the Golden Boot with Khadija Shaw.

Russo netted 12 league goals for the club and provided assists for a further two.

Her name was put forward for the prestigious individual award and selected in the PFA and the European 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 completing my tasks, so those are aspects that are within my power.

"Numerous elements to a striker's role, it's so detailed and there are so many fine margins. I continue to develop. We have great coaches here at Arsenal. There are top teammates to learn off as well. Then when the important matches 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 tested us mentally. We were physically drained.

"I remember 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. The schedule is relentless.

"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 team, we knew that we had the necessary qualities.

"You're playing against the best teams in the world, the best players in the world and sometimes you have to win a little bit dirty."

On the Champions League final:

"The main emotion that I can remember from that entire occasion was just being so calm, like we were confident our preparation was complete, we knew that we had the ability, and we knew that we trusted the strategy 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 in possession, they don't give it away that often.

"We as athletes in the high press and out of possession, we were highly concentrated on our job at hand. It was a lot of running and a lot of defensive work. But in the end that led to success. In my opinion you have to be OK winning games like that as well."

On Arsenal and England legend Kelly Smith being her idol:

"I got the pleasure of watching her a couple of occasions with my dad. Seeing her for England, too, she was just incredible. I hope that her career lasted more and still be playing now, but she ranks among the greats.

"I believe those who teamed up with her would agree and I never got the pleasure of experiencing that. But observing her play was someone that I always used to love."

The striker notched 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 Russo was also a persistent danger in the box all season long, attempting more efforts (73) and having a higher expected goals tally (9.7) than all her peers.

Her capability to contribute to the team outside of her goals distinguishes her.

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

Her skill to retreat into midfield, freeing herself from her nearby marker through sharp, darting movements was notable.

If a marker got in tight, Russo used her physicality to draw fouls, helping her team secure the ball in the enemy territory. In the Champions' League the prior year, nobody was drawn more fouls than the Arsenal striker (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 minimal touches on the ball, directing it away from defenders marking closely, before finding close colleagues positioned facing towards the goal.

By keeping possession in tough situations, Russo is regularly able to act as an outlet for her team under pressure.

She is able turn difficult passes into long periods of stable possession and these possessions in the attacking zone lead to goals, several of these she ends up scoring herself.