England have been storming through the women’s Euros with a record-breaking finesse and power previously unseen in the tournament. From beating Norway 8-0 in the group stages, to securing a place in the quarter final with an 105th minute extra time win against Spain, the play has been sharp, fast and triumphant.
And last night, during England’s quarter final match against Sweden, Alessia Russo struck the cheekiest goal of the Euros yet: a backheeled nutmeg (between the goalies’ legs), before Fran Kirby brought the final score to 4-0 to England.
After 23-year-old Russo’s strike, Twitter erupted. ‘I got shivers from this omg,’ wrote one fan. ‘Wow just completely forgot about my gas bill. Thank you Alessia Russo,’ joked another. ‘I dreamt of scoring a goal like that my whole life,’ added former US player Abby Wambach. ‘Take a bow. Go on England.’
WATCH: Alessia Russo’s Incredible Goal
With the humble self-deprecation that so often clings to women’s near-miraculous achievements, Russo said of the goal: ‘I could have made it a lot easier for myself…I just thought it was the quickest route to get it in the back of the net without having to turn…I was fortunate it went in.’
Yet, the backheel was Russo’s fourth goal for England in the Women’s Euros tournament — making her the team’s top scorer. She has a 91.2% pass accuracy and a top speed of 28.8km/h. And thanks to the captivating fast-paced play from her and her teammates, the semifinal reached a peak audience of 9.3million — with the final expected to be the most-watched TV broadcast of the year.
England will now play either France or Germany in the Euros final, which is being shown on BBC One at 5pm on Sunday. And if you want to know more about today’s national hero Alessia Russo, keep reading to have all your questions answered…
Who is Alessia Russo?
Alessia Russo is a 23-year-old from Maidstone who started her football career by playing for the local under ten’s team at Bearsted Football Club. She previously told Soccer Bible she started playing football as a toddler while trying to copy her older brothers. ‘I wanted to do everything they did,’ she said.
What team does Alessia Russo play for?
Away from the England squad, Russo has already played for four teams: Chelsea, Brighton & Hove Albion, North Carolina Tar Heels, and most recently signed a contract with Manchester United. After beating Man City with the team at Old Trafford in April, she told the Guardian: ‘To be a United fan and to play and the Theatre of Dreams was amazing. And to have all my friend and family there and to have the fans there — I think we’ve owed it to them to play there and put on a performance for them.’
Who are Alessia Russo’s family?
Alessia grew up with a football fanatic family and started playing alongside her brothers Luca and Giorgio with the support of her dad Mario — who’s Metropolitan Police FC’s record goal scorer. ‘Alessia had no option but to play football – it was non-negotiable, he told Our Game Mag in 2017. ‘She was used as the goalkeeper, the defender, the player to get nutmegged, the player to get two-footed.’
And how the tables have turned…