Euro 2022 winner Alessia Russo on making history, inspiring a generation and that viral backheel goal
A video published by the Football League’s official YouTube account shows the moment she scored. The clip has been viewed more than two million times, proving just how successful the midfielder is in the game.
And the 21-year-old is currently training hard to prepare for the next stage of her career. Having been born in the United States, she has yet to make her mark in her adopted country’s top two divisions until now.
Russo moved to England at the age of 10 and has been capped by her country. She has already got her eye on representing her country at the Tokyo Olympics in 2020. She has been on the books of top clubs, as well as on loan at the likes of Brighton and Bristol City.
In 2018, she scored 15 goals and provided six assists to help Arsenal finish second in the league.
She has also recently been capped at the U20 European Championship and has represented West Ham. With the likes of Liverpool and Manchester City being linked with her, she says she is confident that she will be able to break through to the first team.
Here, she talks to Express Sport about her goals and ambitions in life. And, of course, the backheel goal.
Are you happy to call yourself the female Ronaldo?
“I’m not a great Ronaldo fan. I am going to come out and say Ronaldo is great in his own way, but I have a lot of things to say about the guy who is actually the best at football.
“We are all footballers and in our sport we all have to have the skill to have a shot and the talent to score a goal. If we don’t have it, you just cannot play the game.
“I am not looking to be in his league as a footballer. Obviously he is the best, but we all need to