Arsenal’s Alessia Russo celebrated a “special” hat‑trick in a 3‑0 victory over Benfica on Wednesday, becoming the all‑time leading English scorer in the Women’s Champions League. The 27‑year‑old opened the scoring with a brilliant strike in the 39th minute, matching Fran Kirby’s 21‑goal record in the competition. She then doubled the lead just after the hour and finished with a penalty, bringing her tally to 23 goals and surpassing Kirby’s mark.
The match, played at Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium, was a decisive step forward for the Gunners in a season that had begun with a string of mixed results. Russo’s return to form has been remarkable; she has netted nine goals in her last seven appearances for both club and country after a slow start to the campaign. Her hat‑trick is only the fifth by an Englishwoman in the Champions League and the first since Kirby’s 2018 performance for Chelsea.
Arsenal’s win marked the club’s first back‑to‑back victories this season and their first clean sheet in six games, ending a frustrating run of results. The win also gave the team momentum heading into their next league‑phase match against Barcelona, where they will need to maintain their form to stay competitive in the group.
After the game, Russo praised the experience of playing in Europe and the satisfaction of scoring a hat‑trick. “It feels really nice,” she told UEFA. “I love playing in the Champions League and I love scoring goals. It was really good to get the win. To score a hat‑trick is really special.” She added that the team had been patient against a tough Benfica side and that the recent victory over Tottenham had helped build confidence.
Benfica’s coach Renée Slegers lauded Russo’s impact, describing her as a world‑class player who contributes in attack and defence. “The whole team is amazing, we have so many good personalities in the group. We care for each other, and Alessia leads the way and she was captaining the team today,” Slegers said on Disney+.
Arsenal now look to carry this positive momentum into their upcoming fixtures, hoping to sustain the form that has seen them secure a clean sheet and consecutive wins. The next challenge will test the squad against Barcelona, where the Gunners will need to translate their recent success into further progress in Europe.