Alessia Russo: from impact sub who wanted quiet life to global brand

Times

01-07-2025

No moment better captured the joy, fearlessness and seismic impact of the Lionesses' Euro 2022 run. With England 2-0 up in their semi-final against Sweden at Bramall Lane, Alessia Russo latched on to the rebound of her own shot and sent an impish back-heel through the legs of Hedvig Lindahl, the Sweden goalkeeper.
Of course, the final at Wembley is packed with legendary moments, be it Chloe Kelly 's extra-time winner or Jill Scott bellowing 'f*** off' at a German opponent. Yet Russo's audacious moment of skill epitomised the intoxicating, scarcely believable perfection of England's tournament. It was a goal that, even without the context of a Euros semi-final, possessed the raw brilliance to go viral on social media. And it launched Russo's journey to England icon and national celebrity.
Plenty has changed in the three years since. When Russo scored the back-heel she was 23, served as an impact substitute for England, played across the front line for Manchester United, and was little-known to all but women's football diehards. She is now 26, among the world's best strikers, the figurehead of Arsenal's attack and one of England's most recognisable athletes.
Along the way, Russo had to navigate unprecedented scrutiny and battle through poor form. She will begin England's title defence in fine fettle and is certain to start up front.
While Russo was one of many players whose public profile boomed after Euro 2022, she was in a unique position. She had deputised superbly for Ellen White at that tournament, scoring four goals from off the bench, so she was simultaneously an established star and full of untapped potential. White, England's record goalscorer, retired three weeks after the final, clearing the path for Russo to take centre stage.
She immediately grasped her opportunity, scoring in each of England's first two games after succeeding White as England's incumbent No9. For United, she was increasingly potent as a striker.
In January 2023, Russo was at the epicentre of a landmark transfer saga. Arsenal submitted a world-record bid of about £500,000 for her, sparking a level of speculation and deadline-day drama traditionally restricted to men's football. Russo stayed put, with United unwilling to sell to a title rival despite the huge sum on offer.
Arsenal would not be denied, though. After Russo helped United finish second in the Women's Super League (WSL), her contract expired and she signed for Arsenal on a free transfer in July 2023.
There were 18 days between Russo confirming she would leave United and Arsenal announcing her arrival. That meant 18 days of rumours, uncertainty and attention, as one of England's superstars hit the open market. The episode reinforced Russo's burgeoning public presence, but she does not remember it fondly.
'The summer was really tough at times,' Russo said in March 2024. 'We're not used to our lives being in the media so much. I'd happily just live a quiet little life, but I also understand that football is not like that any more. It was tough and you have to come back to the people you rely on. I needed my family a lot through those times.'
Russo, who has Sicilian heritage, was wise to lean on her football-loving family. Her father, Mario, is the Metropolitan Police's record goalscorer, and one of her elder brothers, Giorgio, also played non-League football. Her other brother, Luca, competed in US college athletics and is now a prominent agent in the women's game.
Crucially, Russo sorted out her club future before the 2023 World Cup. Boosted by this certainty, she started every game as England reached the final, scoring three goals, including the winner in the quarter-final against Colombia and the match-clinching strike in the semi-final against Australia in Sydney. Although England lost the final to Spain, Russo returned home with her reputation enhanced.
Russo, as is her right, has reaped the benefits of her soaring profile. Since Euro 2022 she has partnered with the likes of Beats By Dre, Oakley, Gucci and Adidas, and been on the covers of magazines such as Elle, Women's Health and Wonderland.
Moving to Arsenal, the best-supported WSL team, amplified her image, and Russo lived up to the hype. She scored 12 WSL goals in her debut season in north London, and earned her first piece of club silverware when Arsenal won the League Cup in March 2024. Internationally, her six goals over the 2023-24 campaign earned her the England player-of-the-season award.
However, 2024-25 started poorly. Russo scored only once in her first nine games, and her lack of confidence was symptomatic of Arsenal's mediocre form. Fan criticism of the team was fierce and Jonas Eidevall resigned as head coach in October.
However, Russo and Arsenal's fortunes were revived by the appointment of Renée Slegers, who won ten of her 11 games in interim charge to earn the permanent head coach job in January. Russo scored ten goals during that run and was a striker transformed, playing with far more conviction.
This renewed belief has allowed Russo to complement her fantastic movement and hold-up play with more nuanced finishing. She scores all types of goals — from a sweeping, left-footed finish away to Tottenham Hotspur to a deft header against Aston Villa at the Emirates — and was named the 2024-25 Football Writers' Association Footballer of the Year.
To top off her season, Russo was pivotal to Arsenal's astounding Champions League triumph. She scored in the epic second-leg comebacks against Real Madrid and Lyon in the knockout stage, and was part of the immaculate team performance through which Arsenal stunned Barcelona in the final.
All the while, her brand has continued to grow. She presented an award at this year's Baftas and The Tooney and Russo Show, a BBC podcast co-hosted with her England team-mate Ella Toone, is into a second series. Meanwhile, Giorgio is a contestant on the TV show Love Island this summer. Having a famous footballer for a sister can't have harmed his application.
Russo, then, heads to Switzerland under the brightest spotlight yet. She may want a quiet life, but the on-pitch success and off-field growth of the past three years suggests she can cope with the pressure.