Charting The Off-Field Rise of Alessia Russo

England’s Lionesses fell at the final hurdle in this summer’s FIFA Women’s World Cup. After convincingly defeating host nation Australia in the semi-finals, a communication breakdown left Lucy Bronze out of position, allowing Spain’s Mariona Caldentey the space to set up Olga Carmona to slot home the only goal of the final.

It’s a horrific shame that the tournament currently occupies a space in infamy due to the behavior of the now-former president of the Spanish Football Association, Luis Rubiales. In time, those memories will fade, and the tournament will be seen as an important step in the building of the women’s game globally. With 32 teams, it was the biggest World Cup yet. At $110m, the prize money was nearly four times that of the $30m on offer in France in 2019. And undoubtedly, one of the biggest stars of the show was English forward Alessia Russo.

On the ball

Russo is becoming as big an icon off the field as she is on it. There’s a temptation to think of her as the female David Beckham, although her playing career has been very different. While male superstars generally come from Europe to the US when their career is on the wane, Russo found her shooting boots as a youngster on the college soccer scene here, at the University of North Carolina, netting 28 goals in her 57 appearances for the Tar Heels.

Russo headed back over the pond in 2020, signing for Manchester United. An audacious backheel against Sweden in the 2022 European Championships was nominated for the Puskas Award and put her on the map. A world record bid of £500,000 ($610,000) was submitted by Arsenal but turned down by Manchester United. The start of the 2023/24 season saw her move to the Gunners, but not before she’d scored 22 in 46 games for the Leigh Sports Village side. Over at Old Trafford, Erik Ten Hag must wish he could have signed Russo ahead of the $100m Antony, who’s mustered 4 in 33.

Breaking out

Let’s preface this by acknowledging the difference in the women’s game in Europe as compared to the Americas. There hasn’t yet been an icon the likes of Marta, Mia Hamm, or Megan Rapinoe on the other side of the pond. Perhaps the most famous player to hail from the British Isles would be Rose Reilly, whose epic 32-year career saw her represent both Scotland and Italy at international level. While Reilly is revered in soccer circles, it took until 2020 – 25 years after her retirement – to be awarded the MBE for services to the game. Compare and contrast that to the men’s game, where players are routinely given honors while still playing.

Russo is building a profile beyond the lines of the pitch. This month she was awarded the Harpers Bazaar award for Sportsperson of the Year, sharing the red carpet with names as diverse as Janelle Monae and Marina Abramovic. She’s been snapped up to be a brand ambassador for Oakley, joining the luxury sunglasses brand’s portfolio of stars that includes Kylian Mbappe and Patrick Mahomes. Last month saw her open their second store in London, on Carnaby Street. The West End thoroughfare will always be intrinsically tied to the ‘swinging Sixties,’ and English announcers miss few chances to remind you the men’s team won a World Cup then. However, Russo’s choice of the ultramodern Radar frames on the day may be a nod to see how bright she sees the future of the women’s side.

Even before the World Cup, 2023 has seen Russo featuring in campaigns for Adidas and Gucci and appearing on the cover of Women’s Health. The sky – both on and off the field – seems to be the limit for Russo, who The Athletic is predicting to be the first WSL player to earn over £1,000,000 ($1,220,000) per season between playing contract and endorsement deals.

2027 could see Alessia Russo return to US soil if the USA/Mexico bid for the 10th FIFA Women’s World Cup is successful. Could she do so as the biggest star in (and out of) the game? Alex Morgan recently told People she’s now going to be taking things ‘one season at a time.’ If there’s a cover star needed for both Elle and Equalizer, don’t bet against it being Alessia Russo.

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