Women's Soccer Player of the Year Contender Alessia Russo

Age: 26 Playing Role: Forward Clubs: Arsenal and the English national team

The talented forward created a legacy with her club as they became the pioneering English 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.

She scored in the Euro 2025 showpiece match and hit top form for her club, playing a crucial role throughout the season in front of goal and with her defensive efforts.

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

Russo finished as the WSL's joint top scorer, earning a share of the Golden Boot with Khadija Shaw.

She scored twelve league goals for the club 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 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 know I'm training hard and completing my tasks, so that's something that are within my power.

"Numerous elements to a striker's role, it requires precision and there are tiny differences. I'm always still learning. Our staff is excellent here at the club. I have great players to learn off as well. Then when the big games arrive, the more you do them, the more comfortable you become."

Reflecting on England's European triumph:

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

"I remember after the last-eight game, a lot of us were really, really battered and bruised. The pressure was immense. But recovery had to be swift. It moves so fast.

"I think the way that we won throughout that whole tournament was just determination and toughness. And we were aware that we had the squad, we knew that we had what it takes.

"You're playing against the best teams in the world, the elite athletes 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 knew we'd done the work, we knew that we had what it takes, and we knew that we trusted the strategy and what we aimed to achieve.

"Obviously playing against a team like Barcelona, you must accept not having the ball because their skill is exceptional. When in possession, they don't give it away that often.

"We as athletes in the high press and out of possession, we were highly concentrated 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. In my opinion you have to be OK 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 few times with my father. Seeing her for England, too, she was just incredible. I hope that she could have played longer and she was active today, but she was one of the best ever.

"I believe those who teamed up with her would agree and I never got the pleasure of doing that. But observing her play was someone that I greatly admired."

Alessia Russo notched 12 goals in 21 games in the WSL the previous campaign to share the scoring award.

She was not just one of the deadliest players in the competition but Russo was also a persistent danger in the penalty area throughout the campaign, attempting more efforts (73) and having a higher expected goals tally (nine point seven) than all her peers.

Russo's ability to contribute to the team outside of her goals sets her apart.

Team-mate Mariona Caldentey regularly played forward balls into her, so effective ball retention was necessary.

Russo's ability to drop deep, freeing herself from her nearby marker through sharp, darting movements stood out.

If a marker got in tight, Russo used her body well to draw fouls, helping her team gain settled possession in the enemy territory. In the European tournament last season, no player was fouled more than the forward (15).

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

She uses few contacts on the ball, moving it clear from opposing players applying player-to-player pressure, before locating close colleagues oriented forward.

By keeping possession in difficult scenarios, she is regularly able to act as an outlet for her side in trouble.

She can turn difficult passes into long periods of controlled play and these possessions in the attacking zone result in scores, many of which she ends up scoring herself.