'Central to England's success' - All-rounder Alessia Russo proving she doesn't need goals to shine for the Lionesses

The Arsenal ace wasn't on the scoresheet in the 4-0 rout of the Netherlands but she did rack up an impressive hat-trick of assists

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  Looking beyond goals

  Russo's hold-up play, excellent work-rate and key role in the build-up to attacks has long been outstanding. It might have been odd to some when Arsenal approached Manchester United in January 2023 with a world-record bid for a player who was out of contract in just six months' time and had only scored five goals for her club in the first half of the season - but the Gunners not only saw the potential she had to improve in front of goal, they also knew her all-round game would be an asset in their system.

  As it transpired, they would get their target at the end of that campaign when she left the Red Devils on a free. Since that move, Russo has had her critics, especially because she hasn't put up the eye-watering numbers that some of her fellow strikers have.

  Crucially, though, she has always had a level head about that. If the team is winning and she is contributing to that, even if it's not with the goals she might want to have, that's the main thing.

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  Hat-trick hero

  Wednesday was the most extreme example of how Russo benefits her team without finding the back of the net. Hannah Hampton deserves all the credit in the world for England's opener, which started with her phenomenal pass that simply sliced open the Dutch defence, but there should also be kudos given to Russo, who latched onto it, held the ball up and drew defenders towards her before teeing up James for her superb strike.

  For the Lionesses' second, it was Russo who kept James' free-kick delivery alive and dangerous for the Netherlands, nipping in ahead of Jackie Groenen to gain some control of the second ball before Georgia Stanway took over and sweetly struck it towards Daphne van Domselaar's goal.

  No one was credited with the assist for the third goal, but it was another superb pass from Hampton and good movement from Russo that kickstarted the move, which culminated in Lauren Hemp's cross eventually being converted by James for her second of the day. England's star striker was then able to complete her hat-trick as a provider just a few minutes later, when Jess Carter this time aimed a ball in behind her way and she held it up long enough for Ella Toone to make a dart in the box, which was picked out by Russo's cutback and converted into the Lionesses' fourth of the day.

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  'Central to England's success'

  Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, former Lionesses goalkeeper Karen Bardsley described Russo's performance as "exquisite", noting how she had been "central to a lot of England's success" on the day. "What a team player," Ellen White, the Lionesses' all-time top-scorer, noted while on punditry for the game on BBC television. "She worked her socks off today."

  'Central' is perhaps the best way to describe Russo's role in the England attack as she does a lot of the work that can go unnoticed, but that plays an important role in allowing those around her thrive. The little lay-offs, the way her movement distracts defenders and opens up space and her overall involvement in build-up play is vital in this attack - it just doesn't grab headlines like goals.

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  Waiting to break her duck

  And Russo could've had a few goals, too. Let's not shy away from that. There were at least three headed chances she could've done better with, serving as a reminder of an area of her game she had a good laugh about back at the 2023 Women's World Cup. "When I was in America, my coach out there told me that I couldn’t head a ball for sh*t," she explained light-heartedly, recalling her days at the University of North Carolina.

  But Russo has also been unlucky. After all, she did find the back of the net on Wednesday with her head, only for it to be ruled out for an offside in the build-up that involved Leah Williamson, rather than herself. The striker had similar bad fortune in England's opener, too, when her instinctive finish was disallowed as Beth Mead had strayed offside by the finest of margins.

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  Much more clinical

  That goal is coming, though, with Russo undoubtedly having taken serious steps forward in her scoring over this past year in particular. In 2024-25, the 26-year-old enjoyed her best campaign in terms of goals, but also several other areas. Per 90 minutes in the WSL, she had more touches in the opposition's box and more shots on target than in any of her previous three seasons, while out-performing her xG by more than two goals.

  Supporting those statistics is the eye test. When Russo was bearing down on goal in England's recent narrow defeat to Spain, one-on-one with Cata Coll, she never looked like she was going to miss - and she didn't. That cool-headedness, that assured manner of her play is the consequence of someone full of confidence right now.

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  All-round excellence

  Such clinical finishing has not been on show from Russo just yet at Euro 2025, but her efforts as a creator appear to have bought her more time in that sense. Had England failed to beat the Netherlands on Wednesday, their title defence would've been either over - via a defeat - or all-but-over - via a draw. There are several reasons why it went the other way, from James' magic to Hampton's remarkable distribution. Russo's all-round excellence in the Lionesses' forward line is one of them, too.