Female Soccer Player of the Year Contender Alessia Russo

Years Old: 26 Position: Forward Teams: Arsenal and England

Alessia Russo created a legacy with her club as they emerged as the pioneering British team to win 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 European Championship crown.

Russo found the net in the European Championship final and hit top form for her team, making significant contributions throughout the season in front of goal and with her defensive efforts.

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

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

She scored 12 league goals for Arsenal and provided assists for a further two.

She was also nominated for the 2025 Ballon d'Or and selected in the Professional Footballers' Association and the Uefa Champions League teams of the year.

Her thoughts on personal development over the past year:

"I play my best football when I'm enjoying myself 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 number nine position, it requires precision and there are so many fine margins. I continue to develop. Our staff is excellent here at the club. There are top teammates to gain knowledge from as well. Then when the big games come around, the greater your experience, the more comfortable you become."

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 recall after the Sweden [quarter-final] game, a lot of us were extremely sore and injured. 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 determination and toughness. And I think that we knew that we had the squad, we knew that we had the necessary qualities.

"You're playing against the best teams in the world, the elite athletes in the world and sometimes you have to grind out results."

Discussing the European final:

"The overriding feeling that stands out from that whole day was just being so calm, like we were confident 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.

"Naturally 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 don't give it away frequently.

"We as athletes in the press and out of possession, we were highly concentrated on our job at hand. There was extensive movement and plenty of defending. But in the end that's what got the job done. In my opinion you have to be content securing victories in that manner as well."

Regarding her inspiration, Kelly Smith:

"I was fortunate of watching her a couple of occasions with my father. Seeing her for England, 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 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 something that I greatly admired."

The striker notched 12 goals in 21 games in the Women's Super League the previous campaign to share the Golden Boot.

She was not just one of the deadliest players in the league but she was also a constant threat in the box throughout the campaign, attempting more efforts (73) and recording a superior xG (nine point seven) than all her peers.

Her capability to aid the side beyond scoring sets her apart.

Team-mate a teammate often delivered progressive passes into Russo, so effective ball retention was essential.

Her skill to drop deep, creating space from her nearby marker through quick, incisive runs stood out.

If a defender got in tight, she used her physicality to draw fouls, assisting the side gain settled possession in the enemy territory. In the European tournament last season, nobody was fouled more than the Arsenal striker (15).

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

She uses few contacts on the ball, moving it clear from defenders applying player-to-player pressure, before locating close colleagues oriented forward.

By keeping possession in difficult scenarios, she is often capable 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 opponent's final third result in scores, many of which she ends up scoring herself.