“Football moves so quickly,” says Alessia Russo as she reflects on her whirlwind summer.
Less than 48 hours after her move from Manchester United to Arsenal was finalised in July, the 24-year-old was flying out to Australia with the Lionesses squad for the World Cup.
Russo led the line for England, playing a key role under Sarina Weigman and scoring crucial goals in the quarter-finals and semi-finals before heartache in the final against Spain.
A week later, and with little time to get over the agonising near-miss Down Under, she joined up with the Arsenal squad for pre-season ahead of the start of the new WSL campaign.
Two months on from the disappointment with the Lionesses, Russo still feels “hurt” about how things ended in Australia.
But, after getting over the initial disappointment, she has re-focused and is targeting a “big year” ahead.
“It has been crazy,” Russo tells Standard Sport. “It was hard at first to come back from such an incredible tournament, have so little time off and go straight into a season.
"Losing in the World Cup final hurt a lot and took time to get over"
“You can switch focus but it was hard, especially after losing in the final. It hurt a lot and took time to get over.”
Russo has helped Arsenal recover from a shaky start to the season and the Gunners are now just three points off early WSL leaders Manchester City and Chelsea.
Next up for Russo is a Nations League double-header with the Lionesses against Belgium, starting at the King Power Stadium in Leicester on Friday.
England need to win their group to ensure Team GB qualify for the Olympics next year, another target Russo has set her sights on.
Russo has been watching David Beckham’s Netflix documentary as inspiration about how to handle the highs and lows of being in the spotlight with England.
She wants to emulate Beckham on and off the pitch, and this year signed up with sunglasses brand Oakley through her love of fashion.
“It shows how cool life can be as a female footballer and how far the women’s game has come,” she says.
“Joining a new club is hard but I am making new friends and new connections on the pitch.
“When you join a new team — you have got to figure out what each other’s traits and strengths are and how you can make them better and how they make you better.
“Yes, it takes a little bit of time but you feel it is coming more and more together.
"You’ve seen so far in the league that you can’t see anyone as an underdog — the standard has just gone up another level.
“The girls have been great and so has everyone around the club.”
Asked whether Arsenal can win trophies this season, Russo has no doubt.
“Yes, it is exactly that,” she says. “We’ve had a tough start but that’s football and there are highs and lows.
“You must ride with it and use it as even more motivation to get better and go and progress elsewhere.
“I think we’ve got loads of talent in the squad and loads of good girls as well so I am excited about what’s to come. Hopefully, we will have a big year.”
Russo was speaking at the opening of Oakley’s new store on Carnaby Street.
