Female Footballer of the Year Contender Alessia Russo

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

The talented forward made history with Arsenal as they became the pioneering British team to claim victory in the Women's Champions League since the Gunners did in 2008, and also helped guide the Lionesses to the defence of their European Championship title.

She scored in the European Championship showpiece match and hit top form for her club, making significant contributions all campaign long as an attacker and with her work off the ball.

Russo was named the FWA's women's footballer of the year for the previous campaign.

She was the WSL's co-leading goalscorer, earning a share of the top scorer award with Khadija Shaw.

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

She was also nominated for the 2025 Ballon d'Or and named 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 I'm training hard and completing my tasks, so those are aspects that are within my power.

"There's so many different aspects to a number nine position, it requires precision and there are tiny differences. I'm always still learning. Our staff is excellent here at the club. There are top teammates to learn off as well. Then when the big games arrive, 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. It was taxing on our bodies.

"I remember after the last-eight game, a lot of us were really, really battered and bruised. It was so intense. 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 we were aware that we had the squad, 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 win a little bit dirty."

On the Champions League final:

"The overriding feeling that I can remember from that entire occasion was just being very composed, like we knew our preparation was complete, we knew that we had the ability, and we knew that we believed in the strategy and what we wanted to do.

"Obviously playing against a side such as Barça, you've got to be comfortable not having the ball because they're so talented. When they do have the ball, they retain it that often.

"We as athletes in the high press and out of possession, we were highly concentrated on our assigned tasks. There was extensive movement and a lot of defensive work. But in the end 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 got the pleasure of seeing her play a couple of occasions with my father. Seeing her for England, too, she was just incredible. I wish that she could have played longer and still be playing now, but she ranks among the greats.

"I believe anyone that has played with Kelly would say the same thing and I never got the pleasure of experiencing that. But watching her was something that I greatly admired."

The striker scored 12 goals in twenty-one games in the Women's Super League last season to share the scoring award.

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

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

Team-mate Mariona Caldentey regularly played progressive passes into Russo, so strong hold-up play was necessary.

Russo's ability to retreat into midfield, creating space from her opposing defender through quick, incisive runs was notable.

If a marker got in tight, Russo used her body well to draw fouls, helping her team gain settled possession in the opponents' half. In the Champions' League the prior year, nobody was fouled more than the Arsenal striker (fifteen).

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

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

By keeping possession in tough situations, she is regularly able to act as an outlet 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 finishes personally.