Women's Footballer of the Year Candidate Russo

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

Alessia Russo made history with her club as they became the first British team to claim victory in the prestigious European competition since the Gunners did in 2008, and also played a key role in leading the Lionesses to the successful retention of their continental title.

She scored in the European Championship final and hit top form for her club, making significant contributions all campaign long in front of goal and with her defensive efforts.

The forward was honored as the FWA's top female player for last season.

She was the Women's Super League's joint top scorer, sharing the top scorer award with Khadija Shaw.

Russo netted twelve WSL goals for the club and provided assists for a further two.

Her name was put forward for the 2025 Ballon d'Or and selected in the PFA and the Uefa Champions League season's best XIs.

Russo on how she feels she has improved over the past year:

"I play my best football when I'm having fun and I know I'm training hard and completing my tasks, so that's something 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 Arsenal. I have great players to gain knowledge from as well. Then when the big games arrive, the more you do them, the more you get used to them."

Reflecting on England's European triumph:

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

"I remember after the last-eight game, many players were extremely sore and injured. It was so intense. But you've got to turn it around quickly. It moves so fast.

"I think 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 what it takes.

"Facing the top sides in the world, the best players in the world and sometimes you have to win a little bit dirty."

Discussing the European final:

"The main emotion that I can remember from that whole day was just being very composed, like we were confident we'd done the work, we knew that we had what it takes, and we knew that we believed in the strategy and what we wanted to do.

"Obviously playing against a team like Barcelona, you've got to be comfortable not possessing the ball because their skill is exceptional. When in possession, they don't give it away frequently.

"As players in the press and defensively, we were really focused 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 was fortunate of seeing her play a few times with my dad. Watching her internationally, too, she was just incredible. I hope that her career lasted more and she was active today, but she ranks among the greats.

"I think those who teamed up with her would agree and I didn't have the chance of experiencing that. But watching her was someone that I greatly admired."

Alessia Russo scored 12 goals in twenty-one games in the WSL last season to share the Golden Boot.

Not only was she one of the most clinical players in the league but she was also a persistent danger in the box throughout the campaign, taking more shots (seventy-three) and having a higher expected goals tally (9.7) than any other player.

Russo's ability to contribute to the team outside of her goals sets her apart.

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

Russo's ability to retreat into midfield, creating space from her nearby marker through quick, incisive runs stood out.

If a marker got too close, she used her physicality to draw fouls, helping her team gain settled possession in the opponents' half. In the European tournament last season, no player was drawn more fouls than the Arsenal striker (fifteen).

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

Russo takes few contacts on the ball, directing it away from defenders applying player-to-player pressure, before locating nearby team-mates oriented forward.

By retaining the ball in difficult scenarios, she is regularly able to act as an release option for her side in trouble.

She can turn difficult passes into long periods of controlled play and these possessions in the attacking zone lead to goals, many of which she finishes personally.