Lionesses & Arsenal star Alessia Russo reveals childhood heroes as England forward looks to follow in illustrious footsteps

The 25-year-old forward has become a household name in her own right following European Championship heroics with the Lionesses and a run through to the 2023 Women’s World Cup final – with a place secured in the latest FIFA FIFPRO Women’s World 11.

Russo has also continued to shine at club level, following a move from Manchester United to Arsenal, and has told 90min of those that she looked to for inspiration when dreaming of treading such a path: “I was a massive fan of Kelly Smith when I was a kid, and she's my coach now, which is really cool. It's a bit of a full-circle moment. I used to love watching her play. She was a top quality forward. Also Marta. What she did for Brazil and for football in general, she's a true legend of the game. [Her retirement] was a sad day for football, but the legacy she's left on the game is incredible. She'll go down in the history books forever, because she was an unbelievable player, but also a pioneer of the women's game.”

Russo is helping the women’s game to thrive in 2024, with Arsenal regularly turning out in front of sell-out crowds at Emirates Stadium – as they boast an average attendance in the WSL this season that is higher than 10 Premier League clubs.

Russo added on the progress being made in women’s football as she gets to strut her stuff in front of 60,000-plus spectators: “It's been incredible. Every time you step out in front of a stadium like that, you get goosebumps. As a player, it's so special, and the fact that we're doing it consistently now, as Arsenal and as a club, we're really paving the way. It's what we deserve. It's nice to play in front of as many people as possible, and hopefully it's something we continue to do. It's credit to the women's game and credit to the fans.”

Arsenal are still in the hunt for WSL title and League Cup honours this season, with their next outing set to come against table-topping Chelsea on March 15 before facing the same opposition at Wembley with major silverware up for grabs on March 31.