For millions of fans, Alessia Russo is instantly recognizable: the England striker in Arsenal red, the No. 23 shirt, the powerful runs, the goals, and the calm presence that has made her one of the most prominent figures in women’s football.
But away from packed stadiums, Champions League nights and the pressure of playing for England Women, Russo’s world looks surprisingly different.
The woman behind the famous No. 23 has spoken openly about the people, routines and ambitions that help keep her grounded. From family and books to quiet evenings, films, football watched purely for enjoyment and a dream of eventually building a life far removed from the professional game, Russo has offered fans a much more personal picture of herself.
And perhaps the most interesting part is that none of it sounds particularly glamorous. In fact, that may be exactly why supporters have connected with her story.
Beyond the Arsenal No. 23 shirt
Russo’s public image has understandably been shaped by football.
She is an established Arsenal Women forward and an England international, having made her senior debut for the Lionesses in March 2020. England Football lists her as a forward for Arsenal and records her as a two-time European Championship winner after England retained the title at UEFA Women’s EURO 2025.
At Arsenal, she wears No. 23, a number that has become closely associated with her identity as a player. UEFA also lists Russo as Arsenal’s No. 23 while representing England as No. 20 at international level.
Yet the deeper fans look, the clearer it becomes that Russo’s identity is not built exclusively around football.
In interviews, she has repeatedly spoken about the importance of her family, the value of switching off and the need to maintain interests outside the sport.
That matters because elite football can easily consume every part of an athlete’s life. Training, recovery, travel, matches, media commitments and international camps can leave very little room for ordinary routines.
Russo appears determined not to lose that balance.
Her family remains at the centre of everything
One of the strongest themes in Russo’s personal story is family.
She has described growing up in a sporting family, with two older brothers and parents who encouraged her football ambitions from an early age. Her father coached her brothers’ team, and Russo recalled spending time at the local park trying to join in with the older boys.
That early environment helped shape the player she eventually became.
Rather than being told football was unsuitable for a girl, Russo said her parents simply supported her. Her mother and father bought her football boots and kits, while her brothers became important influences throughout her development.
That support has continued long after she became an elite player.
In a 2026 interview with The Guardian, Russo explained that her parents and brothers remain closely involved in her life. Her brother Luca is also her agent, while her father has maintained a remarkably consistent tradition of sending her a motivational message before every game.
That detail offers an unusually intimate glimpse into the person behind the professional footballer.
Even at the highest level, Russo still has family members reminding her to perform, encouraging her and sharing in the emotional highs and lows.
Her father’s message is particularly simple: “Be the best you can be.”
It is a phrase Russo has carried with her throughout her career.
The importance of her niece
There is another family relationship that has become especially meaningful to Russo: her role as an aunt.
Her niece was born just before Arsenal’s Champions League final in 2025, and Russo has spoken warmly about the impact the child has had on her family life.
For a professional athlete accustomed to judging days by goals, performances and results, that kind of relationship provides a completely different perspective.
Russo has explained that seeing her niece can instantly change her mood regardless of how she has performed on the pitch.
That is an important part of understanding her life outside football.
A missed chance, a disappointing result or an exhausting week can feel enormous inside the football bubble. But family life can provide something much simpler: perspective.
In our view, this is one of the most relatable aspects of Russo’s story. The glamorous side of women’s football is increasingly visible, but the emotional foundations behind elite players are often less obvious.
For Russo, those foundations appear to be deeply rooted in family.
Books, tea and a quieter side
Then there is the side of Russo that fans might not expect from a high-profile England striker.
She likes reading.
During an England camp interview in 2026, Russo revealed that she normally takes a book with her because she wants something that allows her to disconnect from football, her phone and television. She specifically mentioned enjoying thrillers by Freida McFadden.
Her ideal evening also sounds remarkably ordinary.
A cup of tea and biscuits.
That small detail may seem insignificant, but it paints a very different picture from the image of an elite footballer constantly surrounded by cameras, teammates and sporting commitments.
Russo also revealed that she enjoys playing Monopoly Deal with teammates during downtime at England camps.
Sometimes she is happy being around people. At other times, she prefers simply relaxing in her room.
That balance appears to have become increasingly important as she has matured.
She has acknowledged that she now appreciates having time to herself more than she did when she was younger.
Football is still part of her downtime — just differently
Interestingly, escaping football does not mean Russo completely avoids the sport.
She has spoken about watching football away from the professional pressure of being the person on the pitch.
She follows Arsenal’s men’s team and enjoys watching them because, as she explained, it is different from playing her own football.
That distinction is revealing.
For Russo, watching football can be entertainment rather than responsibility.
There is no tactical meeting to attend, no recovery session afterwards and no expectation that she has to influence the outcome.
She can simply be a supporter.
That separation between “footballer Russo” and “Alessia Russo” may be one of the reasons she has spoken so positively about finding interests beyond the sport.
America changed more than her football career
One of the biggest turning points in Russo’s personal development came when she moved to the United States to play college soccer for the University of North Carolina.
It was a major decision for someone who described herself as a homebody.
Russo has explained that leaving England and living in North Carolina was difficult because she was moving to the other side of the world and knew very few people there. Yet she later described those three years as among the best of her life.
The experience forced her to become more independent.
She learned about herself, experienced injury, built friendships and discovered that football did not have to be the entirety of her identity.
That final lesson may be the most significant.
Russo has said that she found joy in other things while in America and made friendships that lasted beyond football.
For an athlete whose career has since reached the highest level, that realization could have been enormously valuable.
From Manchester United to Arsenal
Russo’s professional journey has also played a major role in shaping the person fans see today.
Before establishing herself at Arsenal, she played for Manchester United after returning from her college career.
Her time at United helped turn her into a leading Women’s Super League forward, before Arsenal signed her in 2023.
Since moving to north London, her profile has continued to rise.
Her 2025-26 season was particularly significant. The Guardian reported in March 2026 that she was enjoying one of the best periods of her career, while later coverage highlighted her contribution to Arsenal’s success and her growing connection with the club.
Yet the interesting thing about Russo is that increased fame has not appeared to erase the quieter parts of her personality.
If anything, she seems increasingly conscious of protecting them.
The dream that has nothing to do with football
And this is where Russo’s story becomes even more fascinating.
Asked about life after football, she did not describe another football-related career or say that she wanted to remain permanently inside the sport.
Instead, she imagined something completely different.
She has spoken about wanting another career after football, having children, living somewhere sunny, owning a vineyard and potentially spending time in Italy with her family.
It is an extraordinary contrast.
Today, Russo is competing for major trophies with Arsenal and England. She is playing in front of huge crowds and carrying enormous expectations.
Her long-term dream, however, is almost the opposite: a quieter life surrounded by family, sunshine and distance from the intensity of professional football.
Of course, Russo knows that future is still far away.
She remains ambitious and has made it clear that there are major footballing goals she still wants to achieve.
Among them is the World Cup.
Her work away from the pitch is growing too
Russo’s life outside football is not simply about relaxing.
She has also used her public profile to support the next generation.
She launched the Alessia Russo Foundation, which focuses on girls’ participation in sport, empowering young women and women’s health.
That work reflects another important part of her personality.
Russo has spoken about how fortunate she feels to have grown up with a supportive family and the opportunity to pursue football. She has also expressed concern that talented girls could miss opportunities simply because they do not have the same support or access.
That gives her off-field work a personal connection.
She knows what encouragement can do because she experienced it herself.
And now she wants to help create similar opportunities for others.
Why fans are discovering a different Alessia Russo
The popularity of Russo’s story is not simply because fans are curious about what she does when she is not playing football.
It is because the contrast is so striking.
On the pitch, she represents the modern England striker: powerful, competitive, technically gifted and comfortable operating under enormous pressure.
Away from it, the picture is much more human.
Books.
Tea.
Biscuits.
Family FaceTime.
Board games.
Films.
Watching football as a fan.
Spending time with her niece.
Dreaming about a future vineyard.
Those details make the superstar feel much closer to ordinary life.
And that is perhaps the real revelation behind the headline.
There is no dramatic secret waiting to be uncovered. There is something more interesting: a successful athlete who understands that a football career is only one part of a much larger life.
What comes next for Russo?
For now, football remains the priority.
Russo is still an important figure for Arsenal Women and England Women, and her international career continues to develop. England Football currently lists her with 67 senior caps and 30 goals.
The next challenge is maintaining the standards that have helped establish her among the leading forwards in women’s football.
But there is another challenge too: protecting the person behind the player.
As her profile grows, so does public interest in her life. Yet Russo’s own comments suggest that family, friendships, downtime and interests outside football are essential parts of how she stays grounded.
That balance could become increasingly important as the demands of elite women’s football continue to grow.
The woman behind No. 23
Alessia Russo’s story is ultimately bigger than a shirt number, a goal or a trophy.
No. 23 may be what supporters see first when she steps onto the pitch for Arsenal.
But behind that number is someone shaped by an extremely supportive family, a childhood spent chasing a football with her brothers, a life-changing move to America, friendships built through the game and a growing desire to make a difference away from it.
She has already experienced some of the biggest moments available in women’s football, including European Championship success with England and major achievements with Arsenal.
Yet her ambitions extend beyond medals.
One day, football will end.
Russo knows that.
And rather than fearing that reality, she appears to be looking forward to discovering who she can become afterwards.
Perhaps that is the most revealing thing fans have learned about the England striker. The woman behind No. 23 is not trying to escape football today — she simply understands that there is a whole life waiting beyond it.
In my view, that balance is one of the most admirable parts of Alessia Russo’s story. Modern football can turn players into brands, but Russo’s openness about family, quiet time, reading, friendships and her future ambitions reminds fans that there is always a person behind the shirt.
Note: This article is based on publicly available interviews and profiles. Some visual content associated with the article may be created or enhanced using AI to provide richer illustrative imagery. This does not mean AI-generated visuals depict previously unpublished real events or photographs. Any interpretation or opinion in this article is clearly presented as commentary rather than
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