Alessia Russo: ‘When you join the club, you take on a part of Arsenal and the love’
Alessia Russo has reflected on becoming an "adult Gooner" after a triumphant season with Arsenal, describing how joining the club deepened her affection for it even though she wasn't originally a fan. The Arsenal and England forward, whose game reached new heights last season, spoke about the emotional highlight of the club's victory parade through north London following the men's Premier League win and the women's Champions Cup success, and outlined her ambitions to keep winning trophies, starting with the WSL.
Russo, 27, described the 9km parade as one of the most special experiences of her career, saying she absorbed the fans' passion alongside teammates such as Lotte Wubben-Moy and Leah Williamson. She also spoke about her commitment to growing the women's game, having launched her own foundation this year and backed the fifth year of Starling Bank's Kick On initiative, which helps fund grassroots girls' football teams. Starling's research found that 97% of grassroots female football clubs said they needed more funding, highlighting the scale of the challenge facing young players.
- Alessia Russo says joining Arsenal made her feel part of the club's culture
- She relished the parade after Arsenal's men's and women's trophy wins
- Russo backs Starling Bank's Kick On scheme funding grassroots girls' football
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Alessia Russo plays as a forward for Arsenal Women and the England national team. She joined Arsenal in 2023 from Manchester United and has become one of the leading players in English women's football, having previously won the European Championship and reached a World Cup final with England.
The interview comes after a successful period for Arsenal, whose men's and women's teams both won major trophies, prompting a joint victory parade through north London. Arsenal's women's team, in particular, won the Champions Cup (the women's equivalent of the Champions League), while their men's side won the Premier League.
Beyond her playing career, Russo has become known for supporting the growth of women's and girls' football at grassroots level, including through her own charitable foundation and partnerships with organisations that fund local clubs. This reflects a wider, ongoing conversation in English football about funding and support for the women's game outside the professional top flight.