Female Soccer Player 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 English team to win the Women's Champions League since the North London side did in the 2000s, and also played a key role in leading England to the successful retention of their continental crown.

She scored in the Euro 2025 showpiece match and found her groove for her club, playing a crucial role throughout the season in front of goal and with her defensive efforts.

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

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

Russo netted 12 WSL goals for Arsenal and provided assists for a couple more.

Her name was put forward for the 2025 Ballon d'Or and selected in the Professional Footballers' Association and the European season's best XIs.

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

"My top performances come when I'm having fun and I know my efforts in practice and I'm getting my work done, so that's something that I can always control.

"Numerous elements to a striker's role, it requires precision and there are so many fine margins. I continue to develop. Our staff is excellent here at Arsenal. There are top teammates to gain knowledge from as well. Then when the important matches arrive, the greater your experience, the more comfortable you become."

Reflecting on England's European triumph:

"The whole tournament was a complete rollercoaster. It was highs and lows. It was emotionally really hard. It was taxing on our bodies.

"I recall after the Sweden [quarter-final] game, a lot of us 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 throughout that whole tournament was just determination and toughness. And I think that we knew that we had the team, 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."

Discussing the European final:

"The main emotion that stands out from that whole day was just being very composed, like we were confident we'd done the work, we knew that we had the ability, and we knew that we trusted the game plan 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 retain it frequently.

"We as athletes in the 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 securing victories in that manner as well."

Regarding her inspiration, Kelly Smith:

"I was fortunate of seeing her play a few times with my dad. Watching her internationally, too, her talent was remarkable. I wish that she could have played longer and still be playing now, but she ranks among the greats.

"I think those who teamed up with her would agree and I didn't have the chance of doing that. But observing her play was something that I always used to love."

Alessia Russo scored 12 goals in twenty-one games in the WSL the previous campaign to divide the scoring award.

She was not just one of the deadliest players in the competition but she was also a persistent danger in the box throughout the campaign, attempting more efforts (seventy-three) and having a higher expected goals tally (nine point seven) than all her peers.

Russo's ability to aid the side beyond scoring distinguishes her.

Fellow player a teammate often delivered forward balls into her, so effective ball retention was necessary.

Her skill to retreat into midfield, freeing herself from her opposing defender through sharp, darting movements 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 European tournament the prior year, no player was drawn more fouls than the Arsenal striker (fifteen).

When the ball does stick, her control are extremely efficient. Her regular awareness of her surroundings means she stays conscious of where opponents are.

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

By retaining the ball in tough situations, she is often capable to act as an outlet for her side in trouble.

She is able convert tough balls into long periods of stable possession and these possessions in the opponent's final third lead to goals, several of these she ends up scoring herself.