Women's Soccer Player of the Year Candidate Russo

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

Alessia Russo created a legacy with her club as they became the first British team to win the Women's Champions League since the North London side did in the 2000s, and also played a key role in leading the Lionesses to the defence of their continental crown.

Russo found the net in the European Championship showpiece match and found her groove for her team, making significant contributions throughout the season in front of goal and with her work off the ball.

The forward was named the FWA's top female player for last season.

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

She scored 12 league goals for Arsenal and set up for a further two.

Her name was put forward for the 2025 Ballon d'Or and named in the PFA and the European 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 are within my power.

"There's so many different aspects to a number nine position, it's so detailed and there are tiny differences. I continue to develop. Our staff is excellent here at the club. I have great players to learn off as well. Then when the big games come around, the greater your experience, the more comfortable you become."

Reflecting on England's European triumph:

"The whole tournament was a total emotional ride. There were ups and downs. It tested us mentally. It was taxing on our bodies.

"I recall after the last-eight game, a lot of us were extremely sore and injured. The pressure was immense. But recovery had to be swift. The schedule is relentless.

"In my view the way that we won throughout that whole tournament was just grit and resilience. And I think that we knew that we had the team, we knew that we had what it takes.

"Facing the top sides in the world, the best players in the world and sometimes you have to win a little bit dirty."

On the Champions League final:

"The overriding feeling that I can remember from that whole day was just being so calm, like we were confident we'd done the work, we knew that we had the ability, and we knew that we believed in the strategy and what we wanted to do.

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

"As players in the high press and out of possession, we were really focused on our assigned tasks. It was a lot of running and plenty of defending. But in the end 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 watching her a couple of occasions with my dad. Watching her internationally, too, her talent was remarkable. I wish that her career lasted more and still be playing now, but she was one of the best ever.

"I think those who teamed up with her would say the same thing and I never got the pleasure of experiencing that. But watching her was someone that I greatly admired."

The striker scored 12 goals in twenty-one games in the Women's Super League the previous campaign to divide 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 recording a superior xG (9.7) than all her peers.

Her capability to aid the side beyond scoring sets her apart.

Team-mate a teammate often delivered forward balls into Russo, so effective ball retention was necessary.

Her skill to drop deep, creating space from her opposing defender through sharp, darting movements was notable.

If a defender got in tight, she used her physicality to draw fouls, assisting the side gain settled possession in the enemy territory. In the Champions' League last season, nobody was drawn more fouls than the forward (15).

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

Russo takes few contacts on the ball, moving it clear from defenders applying player-to-player pressure, before locating close colleagues oriented forward.

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

She can convert tough balls into long periods of stable possession and these possessions in the opponent's final third lead to goals, many of which she ends up scoring herself.