Female Footballer of the Year Contender Alessia Russo

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

The talented forward created a legacy with her club as they emerged as the pioneering English team to claim victory in the Women's Champions League since the Gunners did in 2008, and also played a key role in leading the Lionesses to the defence of their continental crown.

She scored in the Euro 2025 final and found her groove for her club, playing a crucial role throughout the season as an attacker and with her defensive efforts.

The forward was named the Football Writers' Association's top female player for last season.

Russo finished as the WSL's co-leading goalscorer, earning a share of the top scorer award with Khadija Shaw.

Russo netted twelve league goals for Arsenal and provided assists for a further two.

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

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.

"There's so many different aspects to a number nine position, it requires precision and there are so many fine margins. I'm always still learning. Our staff is excellent here at Arsenal. I have great players to gain knowledge from as well. Then when the important matches arrive, the more you do them, the more comfortable you become."

Reflecting on England's European triumph:

"The entire competition was a total emotional ride. There were ups and downs. It was emotionally really hard. It was taxing on our bodies.

"I recall after the Sweden [quarter-final] game, a lot of us were extremely sore and injured. 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 during the event was just determination and toughness. And we were aware 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 occasionally you have to win a little bit dirty."

On the Champions League final:

"The main emotion that I can remember from that entire occasion was just being so calm, like we were confident we'd done the work, we knew that we had what it takes, and we knew that we believed in the strategy and what we wanted to do.

"Obviously playing against a side such as Barça, you must accept not having the ball because their skill is exceptional. When they do have the ball, they retain it frequently.

"As players in the high press and defensively, we were highly concentrated on our assigned tasks. It was a lot of running and plenty of defending. But ultimately that's what got the job done. I think that you have to be content winning games like that as well."

On Arsenal and England legend Kelly Smith being her idol:

"I was fortunate of seeing her play a few times with my dad. Watching her internationally, 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 anyone that has played with Kelly would say the same thing and I never got the pleasure of experiencing that. But observing her play was something that I always used to love."

Alessia Russo scored 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 deadliest players in the competition but Russo was also a constant threat in the box all season long, attempting more efforts (seventy-three) and having a higher expected goals tally (nine point seven) than any other player.

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

Fellow player Mariona Caldentey often delivered forward balls into Russo, so effective ball retention was necessary.

Her skill to drop deep, creating space from her nearby marker through sharp, darting movements stood out.

If a marker got in tight, she used her physicality to draw fouls, helping her team 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 highly effective. Her regular awareness of her environment means she remains aware of where rivals are.

She uses minimal touches on the ball, moving it clear from opposing players applying player-to-player pressure, before locating close colleagues positioned facing towards the goal.

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

She is able convert tough balls into extended spells of controlled play and these possessions in the opponent's final third lead to goals, many of which she finishes personally.