‘She has a superb header. She has a superb shot. She simply is an actual quantity 9,’ mentioned England head coach Sarina Wiegman.
Alessia Russo shot to fame as one of many faces of England’s Euro 2022 victory on residence soil and is now closing in on conquering the world with the Lionesses.
Russo scored 4 occasions on the Euro, however her gorgeous backheel end by means of the legs of Swedish goalkeeper Hedvig Lindahl in a 4-0 semifinal rout noticed her immediately turn into a social media sensation.
Sponsors flocked to the 24-year-old, who might reportedly turn into the primary Women’s Super League (WSL) participant to earn greater than £1 million-a-year by means of bonuses on England obligation, her membership wage and business offers.
Ahead of the World Cup, she fronted an Adidas marketing campaign alongside David Beckham, whose daughter is amongst her forged of followers.
Arsenal noticed a world document £500,000 bid for a ladies’s participant turned down by Manchester United in January regardless of Russo having solely six months left on her contract. She has since joined the Gunners on a free switch.
But all has not been plain crusing for Russo in 2023. She was outscored by teammates Rachel Daly and Bethany England within the WSL final season and her place as England’s quantity 9 coming into the match was in query.
Those doubts lingered throughout an inauspicious begin to the World Cup by Sarina Wiegman’s facet.
Russo failed to seek out the web in 1-0 wins over Haiti and Denmark and was outshone by Lauren James’ hat-trick even when she did get off the mark in a 6-1 thrashing of China.
Another clean adopted as England dodged a bullet within the final 16 to squeeze previous Nigeria on penalties as James was despatched off.
– Hemp partnership –
But, with out the Chelsea playmaker, and the injured Leah Williamson and Beth Mead, Wiegman has fallen upon an sudden strike partnership of Russo and Lauren Hemp that has clicked at simply the correct time for the Lionesses.
Against Colombia within the quarter-finals, Hemp’s opportunism pounced on a mistake by Las Cafeteras goalkeeper Catalina Perez to degree quickly after England fell behind for the primary time within the match.
Russo then confirmed the predatory instincts which have made her one of many world’s most feared strikers by skillfully turning her marker and firing low into the far nook for the winner.
It was the identical story within the final 4 as hosts Australia have been put to the sword regardless of a second of magic from native hero Sam Kerr.
The Chelsea striker smashed into the highest nook to cancel out Ella Toone’s candy strike that had given England a half-time lead at Stadium Australia.
But simply when the European champions might have wobbled beneath the wave of Aussie power, Hemp’s refusal to surrender a misplaced trigger bore fruit to capitalise on confusion between Matildas’ defender Ellie Carpenter and goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold.
Any doubt over the end result and Russo’s confidence was then dismissed with a cool and stylish end throughout Arnold for her 14th worldwide objective.
“She just really has a feeling for scoring goals,” mentioned Wiegman. “She has a good header. She has a good shot. She just is a real number nine.”
Spain stand between England’s ladies and immortality in Sydney on Sunday.
But questions over the place the Lionesses’ objectives will come from seem to have been answered as Russo has refound the golden touch that made her a nationwide hero 12 months in the past.
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