Female Soccer Player of the Year Contender Alessia Russo

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

The talented forward 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 the 2000s, and also helped guide England to the successful retention of their European Championship crown.

Russo found the net in the Euro 2025 showpiece match and hit top form for her club, making significant contributions all campaign long as an attacker and with her work off the ball.

Russo was named the FWA's top female player for the previous campaign.

Russo finished as the Women's Super League's co-leading goalscorer, earning a share of the Golden Boot with Khadija Shaw.

She scored 12 league goals for the club and provided assists for a couple more.

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

Her thoughts on personal development over the previous season:

"I play my best football when I'm enjoying myself and I'm confident I'm training hard and I'm getting my work done, so those are aspects that are within my power.

"There's so many different aspects to a striker's role, it's so detailed and there are so many fine margins. I continue to develop. We have great coaches here at Arsenal. 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."

Reflecting on England's European triumph:

"The entire competition was a complete rollercoaster. There were ups and downs. It tested us mentally. It was taxing on our bodies.

"I recall after the last-eight game, many players were extremely sore and injured. The pressure was immense. 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 squad, we knew that we had what it takes.

"Facing the best teams in the world, the best players in the world and sometimes you have to grind out results."

On the Champions League final:

"The main emotion that stands out 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 believed in the game plan and what we wanted to do.

"Obviously playing against a side such as Barça, you must accept not possessing the ball because they're so talented. When they do have the ball, they retain it frequently.

"We as athletes in the press and defensively, we were really focused on our assigned tasks. There was extensive movement and a lot of defensive work. But in the end that led to success. In my opinion you have to be content securing victories in that manner as well."

Regarding her inspiration, Kelly Smith:

"I got the pleasure 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 still be playing now, but she ranks among the greats.

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

The striker scored 12 goals in twenty-one games in the WSL the previous campaign to share the Golden Boot.

Not only was she one of the deadliest players in the competition 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 any other player.

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

Fellow player a teammate regularly played forward balls into Russo, so effective ball retention was necessary.

Russo's ability to retreat into midfield, freeing herself from her nearby marker through quick, incisive runs was notable.

If a defender got in tight, she used her physicality to win free-kicks, helping her team gain settled possession in the enemy territory. In the Champions' League last season, nobody was drawn more fouls than the forward (fifteen).

When the ball does stick, her control are highly effective. Her regular awareness of her surroundings means she remains aware of where rivals are.

She uses minimal touches on the ball, moving it clear 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 team under pressure.

She can convert tough balls into extended spells of stable possession and these possessions in the attacking zone lead to goals, many of which she finishes personally.