Alessia Russo has won almost all of the most prestigious competitions in both international and domestic soccer. The England and Arsenal striker has taken two UEFA Women’s Euros, the UEFA Women’s Champions League and the FIFA Women’s Champions Cup. Her individual honors make for an equally long and impressive list. But one significant trophy is missing: the coveted World Cup. “I want to win the [next women’s] World Cup, and I’m not afraid to say that.”
In 2023, the Lionesses came close to victory, only to fall to Spain in the final. “Winning the Euros and then losing in the World Cup final is a scar,” said Russo. Now, one year out from their next opportunity for redemption at the 2027 World Cup, Russo’s focus is clear. “We know the work that it will have to take and we’re willing to put that in.” She’s determined, not just for herself and her team, but for the fans.
FINDING THE GAME
Though she’s not one to hype her own success, it’s evident to everyone else that the 27-year-old has put blood, sweat and tears into reaching this point in her career. And she’s been giving it her all for years. Her passion for the sport ignited early, but it was also inherited. Russo’s father, Mario, is the record goal scorer for Metropolitan Police F.C. who took his daughter to as many women’s games as possible. Together they saw England, Charlton Athletic and Arsenal matches. At the time, if you wanted to see soccer, you had to go to games in-person. “Back when I was a kid, you had to physically be in the stadium for the game,” said Russo. It was also an opportunity for Russo’s dad to teach her the beautiful game: “He’d always say, ‘Watch what they do on the pitch, learn from them.’ And that’s definitely what I tried to do.”
But it was in watching the Gunners’ Kelly Smith, regarded by many as one of greatest female soccer players England has ever produced, that Russo discovered a role model. “I remember seeing her versatility, the flair that she had as a player and the instincts that she would play off,” explained Russo. In 2012, Smith posted a photo of the pair together on Twitter, casually noting, “Watch out for [Russo] she’s gonna be a top player for England one day.”
By about age 14, when she was at Chelsea, captaining its development squad and developing her attacking threat, Russo confirmed her desire to play professionally. “Even at that time, a lot of the girls still had secondary jobs.” But, seeing the Blues’ first team proved that a career, no matter how financially unsustainable, was possible: “I was about 14 or 15 and I thought, ‘Right, this is really what I want to do.’”
Eleven years after posing with Smith, Russo signed for the North London club. Smith was on the coaching staff at Arsenal, which meant she and Russo were now colleagues.
AMERICAN-MADE DRIVE
At 18, Russo made the decision to leave her country, her friends and her family, and enroll at the University of North Carolina. She would play for the North Carolina Tar Heels, one of the most successful women’s college soccer teams in history. “It was like going to this other world of women’s football,” she said. “The facilities and the standard was just world class, and we had so many staff.” She would stay for three years. Playing for the Tar Heels had a fundamental impact on her growth –– not just as an athlete, but as a person.
In 2019, Russo was named MVP by the ACC Women’s Soccer Tournament. She credits Tar Heels coaches Anson Dorrance and Damon Nahas for inspiring a competitive edge that pushed her to the top of her game. “[Dorrance] really instilled in me that you’re constantly chasing the best version of you.”
Just as crucially, the pair nurtured Russo’s off-pitch development as well, encouraging points of personal growth that ultimately reflected in each players’ on-pitch relationships. “We had these core values that we had to learn,” she said, noting “courage and resilience,” in particular. Each player was then ranked anonymously by one another according to such values. “Anson would say, ‘Right, this is really good, but you need to work on X, Y and Z.’” The striker carries this mindset with her still, all these years later.
Russo’s story, largely one of English excellence, could have gone very differently.
“Pre-COVID, I probably would have entered the draft,” she said, which would have meant a career playing in the NWSL. But, with the American college league gravely impacted by the knock-on impacts of the coronavirus, Russo made the decision, along with fellow English player at Tar Heels Lotte Wubben-Moy, to return to the UK in her final year of study. “When [Manchester] United came knocking, it was like the stars were aligning. I knew I had to go back to England.”
Although injuries hampered her first season in the Women’s Super League, she used the time to sharpen her mindset as she’d learned to do with the Tar Heels. “I felt like I was able to deal with it more because of my experiences in the US.” Ultimately, being back on home soil put Russo, and her magic touch, in front of the watchful eyes of Sarina Wiegman, England’s manager. “I wanted to be in and around the England setup.”
COMING INTO HER OWN
Russo had represented her nation at youth level, receiving her first senior call-up in early 2020. However, being at that level doesn’t guarantee inclusion in a tournament squad. “I was kind of on the fringe at the time,” said Russo, who was, of course, hopeful to make the squad but clear-eyed about her competition. “But I knew I was competing against so many great players.” Ultimately, Wiegman took a gamble on Russo, betting on her game-changing abilities.
And if Russo was aware of the stakes, or intimidated by her placement, it never showed.
On July 31, 2022, in front of a sold-out Wembley Stadium, Russo lifted the Euros trophy, with her backheel goal against Sweden in the semifinal awarding her Goal of the Tournament by UEFA. It was not only a monumental achievement as an individual, but also a pivotal moment for women’s soccer as a whole.
As heroes of their country, the players were now, in their own rights, household names. “A lot of the girls will say that we never expected what would happen after that tournament. Everyone wanted a piece of the Lionesses.”
While undeniably a positive consequence overall, Russo found the sudden fame presented its own challenges. “I really struggled coming out of the tournament,” she said. “I remember doing an interview and I almost got upset in it. I was just like, ‘I’m so tired, I feel like a robot being pulled from pillar to post.’”
She decided to decamp to her grandmother’s village in Italy. She spent a restful week living in the countryside. “No one knew me and it was just so peaceful.”
Back on the pitch, Russo found her footing. And now, four years later, she has adjusted handsomely to being one of the biggest names in women’s soccer globally. The only thing holding her back from speaking to every fan she meets is the number of hours in the day. But, she’s found other ways to connect. “Obviously, we’re footballers and people love us for that, but there’s more to us,” said Russo, an advocate of using social media channels to platform that direct-to-audience communication. “We are just normal people and love getting our nails done, and I love getting dressed up!”
An unexpected joy of the job? Fashion. She loves red carpet appearances wearing Rick Owens (“I loved the color [of the dress]”) and diamond earrings at the Ballon D’or, and being loaned Harry Winston on photo shoots. “I remember thinking, ‘Wow, what is this?’”
Russo takes none of the glamorous moments for granted — in particular, the 2025 Ballon D’or, where Russo ranked third place. To have that night, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with fellow England and Arsenal teammates, was deeply moving. “I’ll always say that nothing will ever beat winning the Euros or winning the Champions League, but to have that night all together was really special.”
However, celebrating directly with fans, be that in London’s Trafalgar Square or outside Buckingham Palace, is a feeling like no other to her. “It’s our way of recognizing the sacrifices that they’ve made. The growth of the game that we’ve done is massive on the pitch, but what the fans have done off the pitch is just as incredible.” Fans and advocates have helped make it so that the majority of girls in the UK now have equal access to soccer in school, league attendance records are regularly smashed, and revenue is rising.
GIVING BACK, LOOKING AHEAD
Now, she is focused on building the next generation of Alessia Russos. “I feel lucky to have always had football, but I know that some people don’t know their passion,” she said. The problem is access, encouragement and spaces built to give girls a chance to get to know the sport. The Alessia Russo Foundation, launched in 2025, works to champion girls’ participation in sports through education curriculums, access to equipment and training sessions.
Although fundamentally built around soccer, she said, the foundation’s offerings don’t stop there. “I want it to include other areas of life, whether that be media or coaching or dancing –– whatever the girls want to go into.” Much like her training in the US, the foundation aims to give girls a holistic education that starts with values.
Beyond what she channels into the foundation, Russo’s energies are going into her game. “With Arsenal, we’ve had successes in the Champions League,” she said. The club won the European prize in 2025 in a one-goal victory over Barcelona, the three-time winners within the previous four years. “But I want that feeling all over again.” Whether or not England will convert its World Cup standings from silver to gold is unknown. Regardless, Russo will bring her calm, composed confidence to Brazil. And the fans? They’ll bring the noise, as always.
