FIFA Puskás Award Nominee Alessia Russo Refuses To Be Defined By One Goal

Ever since it happened, Alessia Russo has been known throughout the sporting world for her audacious back-heeled goal for England in the UEFA Women’s Euro semi-final against Sweden, a goal which last week earned her a nomination for The FIFA Puskás Award for the best goal of 2022.

One of eleven goals nominated, fans have until February 3 to ensure Russo is among the final three shortlisted for the awards to be held on February 27. Unlike the individual player honors, which are voted on by a combination of national team coaches, national team captains, FIFA Legends and an online vote, the top three for the FIFA Puskás Award will be decided entirely by a public vote.

Up against world superstars in the men’s game like Mario Balotelli, Richarlison and Kylian Mbappé, the temptation might be for anyone nominated to urge everyone they know to vote for them. Russo denied this, telling me “I haven’t, but I think my family might of! Listen, I’m just honored to be nominated and whatever happens, happens. I understand that it’s a public vote and that’s how it should be. It should be decided by the fans and by the people that watch these moments live and on their TVs. So, yeah, I think it’s great and we’ll see what happens.”

The goal against Sweden was Russo’s fourth of the UEFA Women’s Euro last summer, all scored as an impact substitute. Despite the nomination for the Puskás Award, many of her fans believe the back-heel goal in the semi-final wasn’t her finest of the tournament, citing her second goal against Northern Ireland – a copybook pirouette and slide-rule finish which drew comparisons to Dutch striker Dennis Bergkamp – as technically more accomplished.

Russo tends to agree telling me, “I guess with the back-heel, it’s obviously a more difficult skill but personally as a striker, I liked the goal against Northern Ireland because that’s what you want to try and do, get in between the back line and finish. I mean, honestly, I’m just happy to score any goal and I’ll take anything, even if it goes in off my big toe but, yeah, I’m just happy to score. It’s nice that they think that.”

In the days that followed, Russo’s Manchester United team-mate and childhood friend, Ella Toone, mercilessly mimicked Russo’s celebration after the goal against Sweden. Having scored an exquisite goal of her own – a delicately-chipped finish from outside the penalty area in the UEFA Women’s Euro final against Germany – had Toone let Russo know that she deserved a nomination for the Puskás Award herself?

“She hasn’t no, but what a goal that was too, especially in the final at Wembley in front of 90,000 people. She’s such a talented player and I’m sure she’ll be among these awards any time soon. That goal was very, very special and I think she was just delighted to score in the Euro final.”

A European champion at the age of 23, Russo is now England’s first-choice central striker after the retirement of Ellen White and is in demand on and off the pitch. Having achieved so much, so young, it would be easy to believe that fame might have changed her. She refutes this. “No. That’s what I find weird about it all, I still myself as Alessia. I grew up in a little town. My family are so close to me, I think that’s a credit to all of them, and myself I guess.”

“I’m a very light-hearted kind of person, but I have really high expectations. Even awards like this, it still feels weird to be nominated. I hope to go on and achieve a lot more than just this. As a female footballer and just the person I am, I have to stay grounded and have bigger dreams to fill. You don’t ever really have a chance to get ahead of yourself.”

The fluorescent green adidas X SPEEDPORTAL boots with which Russo scored against Sweden were declared a ‘national treasure’ in August and put on display by Historical Royal Palaces at the Tower of London. After a couple of weeks sitting alongside the Crown Jewels belonging to the British monarch, Russo’s boots now have a more permanent home. “Yeah, I’ve reclaimed them now. They’re actually at home with my mum and dad. They’re a lot better at looking after things then I am so they’ll keep them safe and probably have them for years to come.”