Female Footballer of the Year Candidate Alessia Russo

Years Old: 26 Position: Forward Clubs: Arsenal and the English national team

Alessia Russo made history with her club as they became the first British team to win the prestigious European competition since the Gunners did in 2008, and also helped guide the Lionesses to the successful retention of their European Championship crown.

Russo found the net in the Euro 2025 final and hit top form for her team, making significant contributions throughout the season as an attacker and with her work off the ball.

The forward was honored as the Football Writers' Association's top female player for last season.

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

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

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

Her thoughts on personal development over the past year:

"I play my best football when I'm having fun and I know my efforts in practice and completing my tasks, so those are aspects that are within my power.

"There's so many different aspects to a striker's role, it requires precision and there are tiny differences. I'm always still learning. We have great coaches here at the club. There are top teammates to learn off as well. Then when the important matches arrive, the more you do them, the more comfortable you become."

On winning Euro 2025 with England:

"The whole tournament was a complete rollercoaster. There were ups and downs. It was emotionally really hard. We were physically drained.

"I recall after the last-eight game, many players 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 during the event was just determination and toughness. And we were aware 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 occasionally you have to grind out results."

Discussing the European final:

"The main emotion that I can remember from that entire occasion was just being so calm, like we knew our preparation was complete, we knew that we had the ability, and we knew that we trusted the game plan and what we aimed to achieve.

"Obviously playing against a team like Barcelona, you must accept not possessing the ball because they're so talented. When they do have the ball, they retain it frequently.

"As players in the high press and defensively, we were highly concentrated on our assigned tasks. It was a lot of running and a lot of defensive work. But in the end that led to success. I think that you have to be content winning games like that as well."

Regarding her inspiration, Kelly Smith:

"I got the pleasure of seeing her play a couple of occasions with my dad. Seeing her for England, too, her talent was remarkable. I wish that her career lasted more and still be playing now, but she ranks among the greats.

"I think anyone that has played with Kelly would say the same thing and I never got the pleasure of experiencing that. But observing her play was someone that I always used to love."

The striker scored 12 goals in twenty-one games in the Women's Super League the previous campaign to share the Golden Boot.

She was not just one of the most clinical players in the competition but she was also a constant threat in the penalty area throughout the campaign, attempting more efforts (73) and recording a superior xG (9.7) than all her peers.

Russo's ability to contribute to the team beyond scoring sets her apart.

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

Her skill to drop deep, freeing herself from her nearby marker through sharp, darting movements stood out.

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 European tournament the prior year, nobody was drawn more fouls than the forward (fifteen).

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

She uses few contacts on the ball, directing it away from opposing players marking closely, before finding close colleagues oriented forward.

By keeping possession in difficult scenarios, she is regularly able to act as an outlet for her side in trouble.

She can turn difficult passes into extended spells of stable possession and such phases in the attacking zone result in scores, several of these she finishes personally.