Alessia Russo On Finding Freedom In Football And Inspiring Future Generations
Having taken home the Euros’ trophy alongside her fellow Lionesses in 2022, as well as scoring in the semi-final of the 2023 World Cup, ALESSIA RUSSO is more than familiar with success on the football pitch. But, as is the case for many professional sportswomen, the journey to the top hasn’t been straightforward. Here, she reflects on her childhood introduction to the game, her desire to silence the critics, and hoping to inspire the next generation of players
I’ve always been into football. It affords me the feeling of being free. As a kid, I’d be out kicking a ball around for hours and hours without getting bored. I played my first match when I was four years old, with my dad and brothers, who were all very sporty and involved with the game. But, back then, it was tough to see women in football. I had to play on the boys’ teams because that was the only option. There were always murmurs about a girl playing with the boys, but I learned to ignore them and tried to prove my worth in every match. I wanted to silence the critics.
I joined the Girls Academy when I was a teenager. It was at that time that I started to want to wear dresses, and I asked my mum if I could get my ears pierced. I realized I could be sporty without having to change other aspects of myself. I think that’s still improving – athletes today don’t have to mold into their environment so much. They can be whoever and whatever they want to be, and that’s such a positive message to reinforce for young people.
I have found women’s football to be a really supportive environment. It’s turned me into a more confident person and made me more resilient. Everyone I work with wants each other to play and perform at their best. The bond we have is unparalleled. The journey you go on with your teammates is unique: you experience the very high highs, as well as tough lows. I think it makes you perform better on the pitch when you’re close to your teammates off the pitch.
“We want to keep pushing the women’s game to make sure that every girl has a route into the sport, whether it’s as a player, a coach or a referee. A shift is happening
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As a Lioness, knowing that I’m lining up alongside so many other great women gives me such a sense of empowerment when I’m playing. Knowing the things that each of us have pushed through to get here is inspiring and motivating. For so long, women’s football wasn’t seen as a viable career. So many of us have had second jobs and have balanced completely different lifestyles while trying to be a professional athlete. This is still much more common in women’s sport than in men’s.
Women’s football has changed a lot in the past couple of years – but it shouldn’t have taken the Euros’ trophy to see that change start to happen in the UK. The talent in the women’s league has always been there; we just haven’t had the stage we deserve. Many stadiums didn’t want to host the Euros games, for example. It felt like we were always having to fight for something more.
The spotlight shone on us as a team after we won, and we wanted to make sure that our success wasn’t short-lived, that it wasn’t just an amazing moment at the end of one tournament. Right after the Euros, the Lionesses wrote to the UK government to ensure that sport was mandatory for girls at school, asking them to increase the hours and participation in class and within communities. We wanted to make sure our legacy was not forgotten, and that starts at a grassroots level. We want to keep pushing the women’s game to make sure that every girl has a route into the sport, whether it’s as a player, a coach or a referee. A shift is happening. The Football Association (FA) now has lots of programs to increase female participation and the expansion of teams.
One of the best things for me about being a footballer today is the connection we have with our fans. At Arsenal, we’re selling out stadiums now, and there’s so much energy and focus around each game. Every time we step onto the pitch, knowing there are so many young people in the crowd brings us so much happiness as a team. We’re much more accessible than male footballers, and it feels massive for us to be able to encourage the next generation.
Women’s sport across the board is getting more attention, and this proves to young girls that they can aspire to more; that they can reach towards their dreams and that it can be a viable vocation. I don’t necessarily see myself as a role model, but if I can inspire just one girl to go out and start playing a sport, then I’m doing my job right.