Female Soccer Player of the Year Candidate Russo

Age: 26 Position: Forward Clubs: The Gunners and the English national team

The talented forward created a legacy with Arsenal as they became the first English team to win the prestigious European competition since the Gunners did in 2008, and also played a key role in leading the Lionesses to the successful retention of their continental crown.

Russo found the net in the European Championship showpiece match and found her groove for her club, playing a crucial role all campaign long as an attacker and with her work off the ball.

The forward was honored as the FWA's women's footballer of the year for last season.

Russo finished as the WSL's joint top scorer, earning a share of the Golden Boot with Khadija Shaw.

Russo netted twelve league goals for the club and set up for a couple more.

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

Her thoughts on personal development over the previous season:

"My top performances come 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.

"Numerous elements to a striker's role, it requires precision and there are tiny differences. I continue to develop. Our staff is excellent here at Arsenal. There are top teammates to gain knowledge from as well. Then when the important matches arrive, the greater your experience, the more comfortable you become."

On winning Euro 2025 with England:

"The entire competition was a total emotional ride. There were ups and downs. It was emotionally really hard. It was taxing on our bodies.

"I recall after the last-eight game, a lot of us were extremely sore and injured. The pressure was immense. But you've got to turn it around quickly. The schedule is relentless.

"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 top sides in the world, the elite athletes in the world and occasionally you have to grind out results."

Discussing the European final:

"The main emotion that I can remember from that entire occasion 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 trusted the strategy and what we wanted to do.

"Naturally playing against a side such as Barça, you must accept not possessing the ball because they're so talented. When in possession, they retain it frequently.

"We as athletes in the press and defensively, we were highly concentrated on our job at hand. There was extensive movement and a lot of defensive work. But in the end that's what got the job done. I think that you have to be content securing victories in that manner as well."

On Arsenal and England legend Kelly Smith being her idol:

"I got the pleasure of watching her a few times with my dad. Watching her internationally, too, her talent was remarkable. I hope 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 say the same thing and I didn't have the chance 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 last season to share the Golden Boot.

She was not just one of the deadliest players in the competition but Russo 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 any other player.

Her capability to contribute to the team beyond scoring sets her apart.

Fellow player Mariona Caldentey regularly played progressive passes into Russo, so effective ball retention was necessary.

Her skill to drop deep, freeing herself from her opposing defender through sharp, darting movements was notable.

If a marker got too close, Russo used her physicality to draw fouls, helping her team secure the ball in the opponents' half. In the European tournament the prior year, nobody was fouled more than the Arsenal striker (fifteen).

When the play settles, 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 opposing players applying player-to-player pressure, before locating close colleagues positioned facing towards the goal.

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

She is able convert tough balls into long periods of controlled play and these possessions in the opponent's final third lead to goals, several of these she ends up scoring herself.