Female Footballer of the Year Candidate Alessia Russo

Age: 26 Playing Role: Striker Teams: The Gunners and the English national team

The talented forward made history with her club as they became the pioneering British team to claim victory in the prestigious European competition since the Gunners did in 2008, and also played a key role in leading the Lionesses to the defence of their European Championship title.

She scored in the Euro 2025 final and hit top form for her club, making significant contributions all campaign long in front of goal and with her work off the ball.

Russo was honored as the Football Writers' Association's top female player for last season.

She was the WSL's joint top scorer, sharing the top scorer award with Khadija Shaw.

Russo netted twelve WSL goals for the club and provided assists for a further two.

Her name was put forward for the prestigious individual award and selected in the PFA and the European season's best XIs.

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

"I play my best football when I'm having fun and I'm confident 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'm always still learning. We have great coaches here at Arsenal. I have great players to gain knowledge from as well. Then when the big games arrive, the greater your experience, the more comfortable you become."

Reflecting on England's European triumph:

"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, many players were extremely sore and injured. The pressure was immense. But recovery had to be swift. It moves so fast.

"In my view 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 best players in the world and occasionally you have to win a little bit dirty."

Discussing the European final:

"The main emotion that stands out from that whole day was just being very composed, 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.

"Naturally playing against a team like Barcelona, you've got to be comfortable not having the ball because they're so talented. When they do have the ball, they don't give it away that often.

"We as athletes in the press and defensively, we were really focused on our job at hand. It was a lot of running and a lot of defensive work. But in the end that's what got the job done. In my opinion you have to be OK winning games like that as well."

On Arsenal and England legend Kelly Smith being her idol:

"I got the pleasure of watching her a few times with my father. Seeing her for England, too, her talent was remarkable. I wish that her career lasted more and still be playing now, but she ranks among the greats.

"I believe anyone that has played with Kelly would say the same thing and I didn't have the chance of doing that. But watching her was something that I always used to love."

The striker notched twelve goals in twenty-one games in the Women's Super League the previous campaign to share the Golden Boot.

Not only was she one of the most clinical players in the competition but she was also a constant threat in the penalty area all season long, taking more shots (73) and recording a superior xG (nine point seven) than all her peers.

Her capability to aid the side outside of her goals distinguishes her.

Team-mate a teammate regularly played progressive passes into Russo, so effective ball retention was essential.

Russo's ability to retreat into midfield, freeing herself from her opposing defender through sharp, darting movements was notable.

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 (fifteen).

When the ball does stick, her control are extremely efficient. 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 finding close colleagues oriented forward.

By retaining the ball in tough situations, she is often capable to act as an release option for her side in trouble.

She can turn difficult passes into extended spells of controlled play and these possessions in the attacking zone lead to goals, several of these she finishes personally.