Women's Soccer Player of the Year Candidate Russo

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

The talented forward created a legacy with Arsenal as they emerged as the first British 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 continental title.

Russo found the net in the European Championship showpiece match and found her groove for her team, playing a crucial role all campaign long in front of goal and with her defensive efforts.

The forward was honored as the FWA's top female player for the previous campaign.

She was the Women's Super League's joint top scorer, sharing the Golden Boot with her rival striker.

She scored twelve league goals for Arsenal and provided assists for a further two.

Her name was put forward for the 2025 Ballon d'Or and named in the PFA and the European season's best XIs.

Her thoughts on personal development 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 that's something that are within my power.

"There's so many different aspects 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 the club. There are top teammates to learn off as well. Then when the important matches arrive, the greater your experience, the more you get used to them."

On winning Euro 2025 with England:

"The entire competition was a complete rollercoaster. It was highs and lows. It tested us mentally. It was taxing on our bodies.

"I recall after the Sweden [quarter-final] game, a lot of us 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 grit and resilience. And I think that we knew that we had the squad, we knew that we had what it takes.

"You're playing against the top sides in the world, the elite athletes in the world and sometimes you have to grind out results."

On the Champions League final:

"The overriding feeling that I can remember from that entire occasion was just being so calm, like we knew our preparation was complete, 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 must accept not possessing the ball because their skill is exceptional. When they do have the ball, they retain it that often.

"We as athletes in the high press and defensively, we were really focused on our job at hand. There was extensive movement and a lot of defensive work. But in the end that led to success. In my opinion you have to be OK winning games like that as well."

Regarding her inspiration, Kelly Smith:

"I was fortunate of watching her a few times with my father. Seeing her for England, too, she was just incredible. I hope that her career lasted more and she was active today, but she was one of the best ever.

"I believe anyone that has played with Kelly would say the same thing and I never got the pleasure of doing that. But observing her play was something that I always used to love."

The striker scored twelve goals in 21 games in the Women's Super League the previous campaign to divide the Golden Boot.

She was not just one of the most clinical players in the league but Russo was also a persistent danger in the box throughout the campaign, attempting more efforts (73) and having a higher expected goals tally (nine point seven) than any other player.

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

Team-mate Mariona Caldentey regularly played progressive passes into Russo, so strong hold-up play was necessary.

Her skill to retreat into midfield, freeing herself from her nearby marker through quick, incisive runs 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 the prior year, nobody was drawn more fouls than the forward (fifteen).

When the play settles, her control are extremely efficient. Her regular awareness of her surroundings means she remains aware of where rivals are.

Russo takes few contacts on the ball, directing it away from defenders marking closely, before finding close colleagues oriented forward.

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

She can turn difficult passes into long periods of controlled play and these possessions in the opponent's final third result in scores, many of which she ends up scoring herself.