Alessia Russo has marked a new milestone in the UEFA Women's Champions League by becoming the competition's top English scorer. The Arsenal striker achieved the record after his three-goal performance in the match against Benfica, during the third day of the league phase.
The match, which was held in the stadium of the Portuguese capital, was defined by a clear superiority for the English. From the start, Arsenal took the initiative and pushed Benfica towards their own half. The opposition's goalkeeper, Lena Pauels, had to intervene on several occasions, but Arsenal's attack was relentless. In the 39th minute, Russo opened the scoring with a precise shot from inside the area. The England team continued to press and, after the break, the striker scored again, this time with a header after a corner from Steph Catley, in the 66th minute. In the final minutes, the 79th, he completed his hat-trick with a penalty, sealing a resounding victory for his team.
With the three goals, Russo equaled former Chelsea player FranKirby's record and moved above former Barcelona player Toni Duggan on the list of top English scorers in the Champions League. According to data from BBC Sport, the forward touched the ball 14 times inside the Benfica area, a figure higher than that of her teammates. Arsenal coach Renée Slegers praised her performance, commenting that it is “difficult to find words to describe her; dealing with her is a privilege.”
The hat-trick not only earned him the player of the match award, but also a prominent place in the Ballon d'Or standings, where he finished ninth. Russo, who has already become a recurring figure in the media, continues to show outstanding performance that positions her as one of the most promising forwards in English women's football. The next step will be to continue consolidating in the Champions League and continue contributing to Arsenal's success in the competition.