Women's Footballer of the Year Candidate Russo

Age: 26 Position: Striker Teams: The Gunners and England

The talented forward created a legacy with her club as they became the pioneering British team to claim victory in the Women's Champions League since the North London side did in 2008, and also helped guide England to the successful retention of their European Championship title.

Russo found the net in the European Championship final and found her groove for her team, playing a crucial role throughout the season as an attacker and with her work off the ball.

Russo was honored as the Football Writers' Association's women's footballer of the year for the previous campaign.

Russo finished as the Women's Super League's co-leading goalscorer, earning a share of the Golden Boot with her rival striker.

Russo netted 12 WSL goals for Arsenal and provided assists for a further two.

Her name was put forward for the 2025 Ballon d'Or and selected in the Professional Footballers' Association and the European teams of the year.

Her thoughts on personal development over the past year:

"My top performances come when I'm enjoying myself and I'm confident my efforts in practice and completing my tasks, so those are aspects that are within my power.

"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. I have great players to gain knowledge from as well. Then when the important matches arrive, the greater your experience, the more comfortable you become."

Reflecting on England's European triumph:

"The whole tournament was a complete rollercoaster. It was highs and lows. It was emotionally really hard. We were physically drained.

"I remember after the Sweden [quarter-final] game, many players were extremely sore and injured. It was so intense. But you've got to turn it around quickly. The schedule is relentless.

"In my view the way that we won throughout that whole tournament was just grit and resilience. And we were aware that we had the team, 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 grind out results."

On the Champions League final:

"The main emotion that stands out from that entire occasion was just being very composed, like we knew our preparation was complete, we knew that we had what it takes, and we knew that we believed in the strategy 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 they're so talented. When in possession, they retain it that often.

"As players in the high press and defensively, we were highly concentrated on our job at hand. It was a lot of running and plenty of defending. But in the end that's what got the job done. 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 seeing her play a couple of occasions with my father. Watching her internationally, too, her talent was remarkable. I hope that her career lasted more and she was active today, but she was one of the best ever.

"I think anyone that has played with Kelly would agree and I never got the pleasure of doing that. But watching her was someone that I greatly admired."

Alessia Russo notched 12 goals in twenty-one games in the Women's Super League last season to divide the Golden Boot.

She was not just one of the deadliest players in the league but she was also a constant threat in the penalty area throughout the campaign, taking more shots (seventy-three) and recording a superior xG (9.7) than any other player.

Her capability to aid the side outside of her goals distinguishes her.

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

Russo's ability to retreat into midfield, creating space from her nearby marker through sharp, darting movements stood out.

If a marker got in tight, Russo used her body well to draw fouls, assisting the side secure the ball in the opponents' half. In the Champions' League last season, nobody was drawn more fouls than the Arsenal striker (15).

When the play settles, Russo's touches are extremely efficient. Her frequent scanning of her environment means she stays conscious of where rivals are.

She uses few contacts on the ball, directing it away from defenders applying player-to-player pressure, before finding close colleagues positioned facing towards the goal.

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

She is able turn difficult passes into long periods of controlled play and such phases in the opponent's final third result in scores, many of which she finishes personally.