Alessia Russo, the 26-year-old forward for Arsenal and England, is a contender for the BBC Women's Footballer of the Year award in 2025. Russo has made history with Arsenal as they became the first British team to win the Women's Champions League since 2008, and also helped guide England to defend their European Championship crown.
Russo scored in the Euro 2025 final and found her groove for her club, playing a crucial role throughout the season in front of goal and with her work off the ball. She was named the Football Writers' Association's women's footballer of the year for last season, sharing the Golden Boot with Khadija Shaw.
In the Women's Super League (WSL), Russo netted 12 goals in 21 games, making her one of the most clinical players in the league. However, it's not just her goal-scoring ability that sets her apart - Russo is also a constant threat outside of her goals, taking more shots and having a higher expected goals tally than any other player.
Russo's ability to contribute to the team outside of her goals has been praised by coaches and teammates alike. Team-mate Mariona Caldentey regularly played progressive passes into Russo last season, highlighting the importance of Russo's hold-up play and ability to drop deep and free herself from markers.
Russo's performances have also caught the attention of football analysts, with some hailing her as a 'constant threat' in front of goal. Her efficiency on the ball, combined with her ability to find space and create opportunities for herself and her team-mates, makes her a difficult opponent to defend against.
As Russo looks to continue her impressive form into next season, she will undoubtedly be in contention for numerous individual awards, including the BBC Women's Footballer of the Year award. With her impressive performances on the pitch and her dedication off it, Russo is set to remain one of the top players in women's football for years to come.
Russo scored in the Euro 2025 final and found her groove for her club, playing a crucial role throughout the season in front of goal and with her work off the ball. She was named the Football Writers' Association's women's footballer of the year for last season, sharing the Golden Boot with Khadija Shaw.
In the Women's Super League (WSL), Russo netted 12 goals in 21 games, making her one of the most clinical players in the league. However, it's not just her goal-scoring ability that sets her apart - Russo is also a constant threat outside of her goals, taking more shots and having a higher expected goals tally than any other player.
Russo's ability to contribute to the team outside of her goals has been praised by coaches and teammates alike. Team-mate Mariona Caldentey regularly played progressive passes into Russo last season, highlighting the importance of Russo's hold-up play and ability to drop deep and free herself from markers.
Russo's performances have also caught the attention of football analysts, with some hailing her as a 'constant threat' in front of goal. Her efficiency on the ball, combined with her ability to find space and create opportunities for herself and her team-mates, makes her a difficult opponent to defend against.
As Russo looks to continue her impressive form into next season, she will undoubtedly be in contention for numerous individual awards, including the BBC Women's Footballer of the Year award. With her impressive performances on the pitch and her dedication off it, Russo is set to remain one of the top players in women's football for years to come.
She's literally been breaking records left and right with Arsenal and England! I love how she's not just a goal-scorer, but also brings that extra threat outside of her goals 
๏ธ. Her work rate is insane, and it's awesome to see her hold up play and create chances for her teammates 
. And can we talk about how dominant she was in the Euro 2025 final? 
She's got game, girl! 
My bet is she'll keep racking up those individual awards and stay one of the top players in women's football for a while 
Her goal-scoring record in the WSL is insane - 12 goals in just 21 games is crazy! 
And it's not just about the numbers, she's always a threat outside of her goals too. I mean, have you seen those progressive passes from Mariona Caldentey into Russo? 
It's like they're speaking the same language on the pitch!
I'm not convinced that Alessia Russo's whole hype train is justified just yet... don't get me wrong, she's definitely an amazing player! But what really gets me is how her stats and awards are getting blown up way out of proportion 
. And let's not forget about Khadija Shaw, who basically shared the Golden Boot with her... that's some pretty generous award-giving if you ask me 
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. That's something we don't always see enough of in women's football, where it's often just 'score more goals and win the game' 
๏ธ.
! She's like a force of nature, always scoring and creating chances for herself and her teammates. I mean, 12 goals in 21 games is no joke 
. And it's not just about the goals, she's also got this killer hold-up play that allows her to drop deep and free herself from markers 
. Plus, her work rate off the ball is unreal, always tracking back and putting in a shift. I think some people might say she's a bit of a lone wolf on the pitch, but to me, it just shows how dedicated she is to getting the job done 
!
- Eleanor Roosevelt
i love how she's always finding space and creating opportunities for herself and her teammates 
it's awesome to see female players like Russo breaking barriers and dominating in their sport 
and honestly, can't wait to see what she does next season 
! Does anyone know if there are any other players in the WSL who can even come close to her goal-scoring record? 
. I'm rooting for her to win that BBC Women's Footballer of the Year award 
! #AlessiaRusso #BBCWomenFootballerOfTheYear #WomensFootball #GoalScoringMachine
. Her hold-up play is so underrated, she's like a safety valve for Arsenal 
. I'm loving how coaches and teammates are praising her ability to contribute outside of her goals 
. And honestly, if she keeps playing like this, she'll be one of the top players in women's football for years to come 
. Its clear she's not just relying on luck, but actually putting in the work off the pitch to improve her game.
! But what I love most about her is how she doesn't just score goals, she also creates opportunities for her teammates, that's so cool 
She's the total package! My friends in my school's football team are all super inspired by her, we're like "Alessia Russo is our role model!" 
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! She deserves it hands down 
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what's so special about Alessia Russo? 
or is there something else about her game that sets her apart?