Women's Soccer Player of the Year Contender Alessia Russo

Years Old: 26 Position: Forward Teams: The Gunners and England

The talented forward created a legacy with Arsenal as they emerged as the pioneering British team to claim victory in the Women's Champions League since the Gunners did in 2008, and also helped guide England to the successful retention of their European Championship title.

Russo found the net in the European Championship final and hit top form for her team, playing a crucial role all campaign long as an attacker and with her defensive efforts.

Russo was honored as the Football Writers' Association's women's footballer of the year for last season.

Russo finished as the WSL's co-leading goalscorer, earning a share of the Golden Boot with her rival striker.

She scored 12 league goals for Arsenal and set up for a couple more.

She was also nominated for the prestigious individual award and named in the Professional Footballers' Association and the European teams of the year.

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

"I play my best football when I'm enjoying myself 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 requires precision and there are so many fine margins. I continue to develop. Our staff is excellent here at the club. I have great players 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 entire competition was a complete rollercoaster. It was highs and lows. It was emotionally really hard. We were physically drained.

"I recall after the Sweden [quarter-final] game, a lot of us were really, really battered and bruised. The pressure was immense. 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 team, 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 grind out results."

On the Champions League final:

"The main emotion that I can remember from that whole day was just being so calm, like we knew our preparation was complete, we knew that we had what it takes, and we knew that we believed in the strategy and what we wanted to do.

"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 don't give it away frequently.

"As players in the high press and defensively, 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 watching her a couple of occasions with my dad. Seeing her for England, too, her talent was remarkable. I hope that she could have played longer and she was active today, but she was one of the best ever.

"I think 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 someone 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.

She was not just one of the deadliest players in the league but she was also a persistent danger in the penalty area throughout the campaign, taking more shots (seventy-three) and having a higher expected goals tally (9.7) than any other player.

Her capability to contribute to the team beyond scoring distinguishes her.

Team-mate a teammate regularly played forward balls into Russo, 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 defender got too close, Russo used her physicality to draw fouls, assisting the side secure the ball in the opponents' half. In the Champions' League the prior year, no player was fouled more than the Arsenal striker (15).

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

Russo takes minimal touches on the ball, directing it away from opposing players applying player-to-player pressure, before finding nearby team-mates positioned facing towards the goal.

By keeping possession in tough situations, she is often capable to act as an outlet for her team under pressure.

She is able turn difficult passes into extended spells of controlled play and such phases in the opponent's final third lead to goals, many of which she finishes personally.