Women's Footballer of the Year Candidate Russo

Age: 26 Position: Striker Clubs: Arsenal and England

The talented forward made history with her club as they became the pioneering English team to claim victory in the prestigious European competition since the Gunners did in 2008, and also helped guide England to the successful retention of their continental crown.

She scored in the European Championship final and found her groove for her club, making significant contributions all campaign long as an attacker and with her work off the ball.

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

Russo finished as the Women's Super League's co-leading goalscorer, sharing the top scorer award with Khadija Shaw.

Russo netted twelve league goals for the club and set up for a couple more.

She was also nominated for the prestigious individual award and named in the PFA and the European season's best XIs.

Russo on how she feels she has improved over the previous season:

"I play my best football when I'm enjoying myself and I know my efforts in practice and I'm getting my work done, 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 continue to develop. We have great coaches here at the club. I have great players to learn off as well. Then when the important matches arrive, the greater your experience, the more you get used to them."

On winning Euro 2025 with England:

"The whole tournament 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, many players were really, really battered and bruised. 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 during the event was just grit and resilience. And I think that we knew that we had the squad, we knew that we had what it takes.

"You're playing against the top sides 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 main emotion that I can remember from that entire occasion was just being so calm, like we knew 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.

"Naturally playing against a team like Barcelona, you must accept not possessing the ball because their skill is exceptional. When in possession, they retain it that often.

"As players in the press and out of possession, we were really focused on our assigned tasks. There was extensive movement and a lot of defensive work. But ultimately that led to success. In my opinion you have to be OK winning games like that as well."

Regarding her inspiration, Kelly Smith:

"I got the pleasure of watching her a couple of occasions with my dad. Watching her internationally, too, her talent was remarkable. I wish that she could have played longer and she was active today, 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 doing that. But watching her was something that I greatly admired."

Alessia Russo scored twelve 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 deadliest players in the league but Russo was also a persistent danger in the box all season long, attempting more efforts (seventy-three) and recording a superior xG (nine point seven) than any other player.

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

Team-mate Mariona Caldentey often delivered progressive passes into Russo, so effective ball retention was necessary.

Russo's ability to retreat into midfield, creating space from her opposing defender through sharp, darting movements was notable.

If a marker got in tight, she used her body well to draw fouls, assisting the side 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, her control are extremely efficient. Her frequent scanning of her surroundings means she remains aware of where rivals are.

Russo takes few contacts on the ball, moving it clear from defenders applying player-to-player pressure, before locating close colleagues positioned facing towards the goal.

By retaining the ball in difficult scenarios, Russo is regularly able to act as an release option for her team under pressure.

She can convert tough balls into long periods of controlled play and these possessions in the attacking zone lead to goals, several of these she ends up scoring herself.