Female Soccer Player of the Year Candidate Alessia Russo

Age: 26 Position: Striker Teams: Arsenal and the English national team

Alessia Russo made history with Arsenal as they emerged as the pioneering English team to claim victory in the prestigious European competition since the North London side did in 2008, and also helped guide the Lionesses to the successful retention of their European Championship crown.

Russo found the net in the Euro 2025 showpiece match and found her groove for her team, playing a crucial role throughout the season as an attacker and with her work off the ball.

The forward was honored as the FWA's women's footballer of the year for last season.

She was the WSL's joint top scorer, sharing the Golden Boot with her rival striker.

Russo netted twelve WSL goals for the club and provided assists for a further two.

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

Russo on how she feels she has improved over the past year:

"My top performances come when I'm having fun and I'm confident my efforts in practice and completing my tasks, 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 gain knowledge from as well. Then when the important matches come around, the greater your experience, the more comfortable you become."

On winning Euro 2025 with England:

"The whole tournament was a total emotional ride. 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 extremely sore and injured. 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 determination and toughness. And I think that we knew that we had the squad, we knew that we had what it takes.

"You're playing against the best teams in the world, the best players in the world and occasionally you have to win a little bit dirty."

Discussing the European final:

"The overriding feeling that I can remember from that entire occasion was just being so calm, like we were confident our preparation was complete, we knew that we had what it takes, and we knew that we believed in the strategy and what we aimed to achieve.

"Naturally playing against a team like Barcelona, you must accept not having the ball because they're so talented. When they do have the ball, they retain it frequently.

"We as athletes in the high press and out of possession, we were really focused on our assigned tasks. It was a lot of running and a lot of defensive work. But ultimately that led to success. I think that you have to be content securing victories in that manner as well."

On Arsenal and England legend Kelly Smith being her idol:

"I got the pleasure of seeing her play a couple of occasions with my dad. Seeing her for England, too, she was just incredible. I hope that her career lasted more and she was active today, but she was one of the best ever.

"I think anyone that has played with Kelly would agree and I didn't have the chance of doing that. But observing her play was something that I always used to love."

The striker notched 12 goals in 21 games in the Women's Super League last season to share the scoring award.

Not only was she one of the most clinical players in the league but Russo 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 outside of her goals sets her apart.

Fellow player a teammate regularly played forward balls into her, so strong hold-up play was essential.

Her skill to drop deep, creating space from her opposing defender through quick, incisive runs was notable.

If a defender got in tight, Russo used her body well to win free-kicks, assisting the side secure the ball in the opponents' half. In the European tournament last season, no player was drawn more fouls than the forward (15).

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

Russo takes minimal touches on the ball, moving it clear from opposing players marking closely, before finding nearby team-mates positioned facing towards the goal.

By retaining the ball in difficult scenarios, she is regularly able to act as an outlet for her side in trouble.

She is able turn difficult passes into extended spells of stable possession and these possessions in the opponent's final third lead to goals, several of these she ends up scoring herself.