Women's Footballer of the Year Contender Alessia Russo

Age: 26 Position: Striker Clubs: Arsenal and the English national team

Alessia Russo made history with her club as they emerged as the first British team to win the Women's Champions League since the Gunners did in the 2000s, and also helped guide the Lionesses to the defence of their continental title.

Russo found the net in the European Championship final and found her groove for her team, making significant contributions all campaign long as an attacker and with her work off the ball.

Russo was honored as the Football Writers' Association's women's footballer of the year for last season.

She was the Women's Super League's co-leading goalscorer, earning a share of the Golden Boot with her rival striker.

She scored 12 WSL goals for the club and set up for a further two.

Her name was put forward for the 2025 Ballon d'Or and selected in the Professional Footballers' Association and the Uefa Champions League season's best XIs.

Russo on how she feels she has improved over the previous season:

"I play my best football when I'm enjoying myself and I'm confident I'm training hard and completing my tasks, so those are aspects that I can always control.

"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. There are top teammates to learn off as well. Then when the important matches come around, the greater your experience, the more you get used to them."

Reflecting on England's European triumph:

"The whole tournament was a total emotional ride. It was highs and lows. It was emotionally really hard. It was taxing on our bodies.

"I recall after the Sweden [quarter-final] game, many players 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 grit and resilience. And I think that we knew that we had the team, we knew that we had the necessary qualities.

"You're playing against the top sides in the world, the elite athletes in the world and sometimes you have to win a little bit dirty."

On the Champions League final:

"The overriding feeling 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 the ability, and we knew that we believed in the game plan and what we wanted to do.

"Obviously playing against a team like Barcelona, you must accept not possessing the ball because they're so talented. When they do have the ball, they retain it frequently.

"We as athletes in the high press and out of possession, we were really focused on our assigned tasks. There was extensive movement and a lot of defensive work. But ultimately that led to success. I think that you have to be content winning games like that 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, she was just incredible. 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 agree and I never got the pleasure of doing that. But watching her was someone that I greatly admired."

The striker notched twelve goals in 21 games in the Women's Super League 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 penalty area throughout the campaign, attempting more efforts (73) and having a higher expected goals tally (9.7) than all her peers.

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

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

Her skill to retreat into midfield, creating space from her nearby marker through quick, incisive runs stood out.

If a marker got in tight, Russo used her body well to win free-kicks, helping her team gain settled possession in the opponents' half. In the Champions' League last season, nobody was fouled more than the Arsenal striker (15).

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

Russo takes few contacts on the ball, directing it away from defenders marking closely, before finding nearby team-mates positioned facing towards the goal.

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

She is able convert tough balls into extended spells of stable possession and these possessions in the attacking zone lead to goals, several of these she finishes personally.