Female Soccer Player of the Year Candidate Alessia Russo

Years Old: 26 Position: Forward Clubs: Arsenal and the English national team

The talented forward made history with her club as they became the first English 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 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 as an attacker and with her defensive efforts.

Russo was honored as the Football Writers' Association's top female player for the previous campaign.

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

She scored twelve league goals for the club and provided assists for a couple more.

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

Her thoughts on personal development over the previous season:

"I play my best football when I'm enjoying myself and I know my efforts in practice and I'm getting my work done, so that's something that I can always control.

"Numerous elements to a number nine position, it requires precision and there are so many fine margins. I continue to develop. We have great coaches here at Arsenal. I have great players to learn off as well. Then when the big games arrive, the more you do them, the more you get used to them."

On winning Euro 2025 with England:

"The entire competition was a total emotional ride. There were ups and downs. It tested us mentally. We were physically drained.

"I recall after the last-eight game, many players were really, really battered and bruised. The pressure was immense. But recovery had to be swift. The schedule is relentless.

"In my view the way that we won during the event was just grit and resilience. 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 grind out results."

Discussing the European final:

"The overriding feeling that stands out from that whole day was just being so calm, like we were confident our preparation was complete, we knew that we had the ability, and we knew that we trusted the strategy and what we wanted to do.

"Naturally 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 don't give it away frequently.

"We as athletes in the high press and out of possession, we were highly concentrated on our job at hand. 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 OK securing victories in that manner as well."

Regarding her inspiration, Kelly Smith:

"I got the pleasure of seeing her play a few times with my father. Seeing her for England, too, her talent was remarkable. I hope that she could have played longer and she was active today, but she ranks among the greats.

"I think anyone that has played with Kelly would say the same thing and I didn't have the chance of experiencing that. But watching her was someone that I greatly admired."

The striker scored 12 goals in twenty-one games in the WSL the previous campaign to divide the scoring award.

Not only was she one of the deadliest players in the league but she was also a persistent danger in the box throughout the campaign, taking more shots (seventy-three) and recording a superior xG (9.7) than all her peers.

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

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

Russo's ability to drop deep, freeing herself from her nearby marker through quick, incisive runs was notable.

If a defender got too close, she used her body well to win free-kicks, assisting the side secure the ball in the opponents' half. In the Champions' League the prior year, no player was fouled more than the forward (15).

When the ball does stick, Russo's touches are extremely efficient. Her frequent scanning of her environment means she stays conscious of where opponents are.

She uses minimal touches on the ball, directing it away from opposing players marking closely, before finding nearby team-mates positioned facing towards the goal.

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

She is able convert tough balls into long periods of stable possession and these possessions in the opponent's final third result in scores, many of which she ends up scoring herself.