Female Footballer of the Year Contender Russo

Years Old: 26 Playing Role: Forward Teams: Arsenal and England

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

She scored in the European Championship final and found her groove for her team, playing a crucial role throughout the season in front of goal and with her work off the ball.

The forward was named the Football Writers' Association's top female player for the previous campaign.

She was the WSL'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 named 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:

"My top performances come when I'm having fun and I'm confident I'm training hard and I'm getting my work done, so those are aspects that are within my power.

"Numerous elements to a striker's role, it's so detailed and there are so many fine margins. I'm always still learning. Our staff is excellent here at the club. I have great players to learn off as well. Then when the important matches come around, the more you do them, the more you get used to them."

On winning Euro 2025 with England:

"The entire competition was a complete rollercoaster. There were ups and downs. It was emotionally really hard. We were physically drained.

"I recall after the last-eight game, many players 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 during the event 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 occasionally you have to win a little bit dirty."

On the Champions League final:

"The main emotion that I can remember from that whole day was just being so calm, like we were confident our preparation was complete, we knew that we had what it takes, and we knew that we believed in the strategy and what we wanted to do.

"Naturally playing against a team like Barcelona, you must accept not possessing the ball because their skill is exceptional. When in possession, they retain it 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 in the end that's what got the job done. In my opinion you have to be content winning games like that as well."

On Arsenal and England legend Kelly Smith being her idol:

"I got the pleasure of seeing her play 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 was one of the best ever.

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

The striker scored twelve goals in twenty-one games in the Women's Super League last season to share the scoring award.

She was not just one of the deadliest players in the competition but she was also a persistent danger in the box all season long, attempting more efforts (73) and having a higher expected goals tally (9.7) than any other player.

Her capability to contribute to the team outside of her goals sets her apart.

Team-mate Mariona Caldentey regularly played forward balls into Russo, so effective ball retention was essential.

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

If a defender got too close, she used her body well to draw fouls, assisting the side secure the ball in the enemy territory. In the European tournament last season, no player was fouled more than the forward (fifteen).

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

She uses few contacts on the ball, directing it away from defenders applying player-to-player pressure, before finding close colleagues oriented forward.

By retaining the ball in difficult scenarios, she is regularly able to act as an outlet for her side in trouble.

She can convert tough balls into extended spells of controlled play and these possessions in the attacking zone result in scores, several of these she ends up scoring herself.