Female Soccer Player of the Year Candidate Alessia Russo

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

The talented forward made history with Arsenal as they emerged as the first British team to claim victory in the prestigious European competition since the North London side did in the 2000s, and also played a key role in leading the Lionesses to the successful retention of their continental crown.

Russo found the net in the European Championship final and found her groove for her team, 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 women's footballer of the year for the previous campaign.

Russo finished as the Women's Super League's joint top scorer, sharing the Golden Boot with Khadija Shaw.

Russo netted 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.

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

"My top performances come when I'm enjoying myself and I know my efforts in practice and I'm getting my work done, so those are aspects that I can always control.

"Numerous elements 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 the club. There are top teammates to learn off as well. Then when the big games arrive, the greater your experience, the more you get used to them."

On winning Euro 2025 with England:

"The whole tournament was a complete rollercoaster. It was highs and lows. It tested us mentally. It was taxing on our bodies.

"I remember after the Sweden [quarter-final] game, many players were really, really battered and bruised. The pressure was immense. 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 squad, we knew that we had what it takes.

"Facing 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 overriding feeling 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 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 in possession, they don't give it away frequently.

"As players in the high press and out of possession, we were really focused on our job at hand. It was a lot of running and plenty of defending. But ultimately that led to success. I think that you have to be OK winning games like that as well."

Regarding her inspiration, Kelly Smith:

"I was fortunate of seeing her play a couple of occasions with my father. 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 never got the pleasure of doing that. But watching her was someone that I always used to love."

Alessia Russo scored 12 goals in twenty-one games in the Women's Super League the previous campaign to share the Golden Boot.

She was not just one of the most clinical players in the competition but she was also a persistent danger in the penalty area throughout the campaign, attempting more efforts (seventy-three) and having a higher expected goals tally (nine point seven) than any other player.

Her capability to aid the side beyond scoring 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 sharp, darting movements stood out.

If a defender got in tight, she used her body well to draw fouls, helping her team secure the ball in the opponents' half. In the European tournament the prior year, nobody was fouled more than the forward (15).

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

Russo takes minimal touches on the ball, moving it clear from defenders applying player-to-player pressure, before locating nearby team-mates oriented forward.

By keeping possession in tough situations, Russo is often capable to act as an release option for her side in trouble.

She is able turn difficult passes into long periods of stable possession and such phases in the opponent's final third lead to goals, many of which she ends up scoring herself.