Female Soccer Player of the Year Candidate Alessia Russo

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

The talented forward created a legacy with her club as they emerged as the pioneering English team to win the Women's Champions League since the North London side did in the 2000s, and also helped guide England to the defence of their continental title.

Russo found the net in the Euro 2025 showpiece match and found her groove for her team, making significant contributions all campaign long as an attacker and with her defensive efforts.

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

Russo finished as the WSL's co-leading goalscorer, sharing the Golden Boot with her rival striker.

She scored 12 WSL goals for Arsenal and set up for a couple more.

Her name was put forward for the 2025 Ballon d'Or and selected 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:

"I play my best football when I'm having fun and I know my efforts in practice and I'm getting my work done, 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. We have great coaches here at the club. There are top teammates to gain knowledge from 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 entire competition was a complete rollercoaster. There were ups and downs. It tested us mentally. It was taxing on our bodies.

"I remember after the last-eight game, a lot of us were really, really battered and bruised. It was so intense. 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 team, we knew that we had what it takes.

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

Discussing the European final:

"The main emotion that stands out from that entire occasion was just being very composed, like we knew our preparation was complete, we knew that we had the ability, and we knew that we trusted the strategy and what we aimed to achieve.

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

"As players 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. In my opinion you have to be content securing victories in that manner as well."

Regarding her inspiration, Kelly Smith:

"I was fortunate of seeing her play a couple of occasions with my dad. Seeing her for England, too, she was just incredible. I wish that her career lasted more and she was active today, but she ranks among the greats.

"I think anyone that has played with Kelly would agree and I never got the pleasure of experiencing that. But watching her was someone that I greatly admired."

The striker notched 12 goals in twenty-one games in the WSL the previous campaign to share 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 all season long, attempting more efforts (seventy-three) and recording a superior xG (9.7) than any other player.

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

Fellow player a teammate regularly played forward balls into her, so effective ball retention was necessary.

Her skill to retreat into midfield, freeing herself from her opposing defender through quick, incisive runs was notable.

If a defender got in tight, she used her body well to draw fouls, helping her team secure the ball in the opponents' half. In the European tournament last season, nobody was drawn more fouls than the Arsenal striker (fifteen).

When the ball does stick, her control are highly effective. Her frequent scanning of her environment means she stays conscious of where opponents are.

She uses few contacts on the ball, directing it away from defenders marking closely, before locating nearby team-mates oriented forward.

By retaining the ball in difficult scenarios, Russo is regularly able to act as an outlet for her team under pressure.

She can turn difficult passes into long periods of stable possession and these possessions in the attacking zone lead to goals, several of these she finishes personally.