Manchester United forward Alessia Russo says an unforgettable Old Trafford experience will help England Women go for glory in this summer’s European Championship.
The 23-year-old scored twice to help United claim a 3-1 win over Everton in front of 20,000 spectators at Old Trafford last month. United are third in the WSL with three games remaining.
Russo has netted nine times and provided three assists in the 19 league games she has played this season, only behind Chelsea’s Sam Kerr (16 goals) and Vivianne Miedema (12) in the goalscoring chart. She is the highest scoring English woman in the domestic game this season.
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The striker will be hoping to continue her form into the Euros, in which England open the tournament with their group stage match against Austria at Old Trafford on July 6. The Lionesses’ other two group games against Northern Ireland and Norway have already sold out, as has the final at Wembley.
Russo hopes that Old Trafford will be rocking once again for the opening game, explaining what her experience was like in March’s victory over the Toffees. “Two weekends ago it was amazing and a massive highlight of my career playing at Old Trafford,” she said.
“I’m a Manchester United fan and everyone always talks about it being the ‘Theatre of Dreams’, and I’ve always believed that, and when I’m in the stands it feels like that. But when you’re on the pitch… we felt the fans from the first minute and it was an amazing feeling. It was a really special day.”
Russo explained how games with bigger crowds can help inspire the England squad, with hoards of football fans set to turn out for matches this summer. She added: “Loads of the (England) girls have experience of playing in unbelievable stadiums. Old Trafford really is one of them and I think experiences like that will obviously help (this summer).
“And it gets you even more excited for what could come if it is full. We felt it with 20,000 fans and there will be probably triple that at the Euros.”
The women’s game has grown exponentially over the last few years and Russo explained how it incites enthusiasm going forward. She said: “I think even just walking out of the tunnel and hearing everyone, and seeing the fans, like down the sides of the tunnel, all wanting high fives.
“It gets you really excited for how much women’s football is growing, and how much further we want to take it.”
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