ALESSIA RUSSO believes the Lionesses have a bullseye on their backs as they target World Cup glory following their Euros heroics.
And the WSL star, 24, is relishing the competition for the starting striker place with Bethany England and Rachel Daly.
England’s clash against Portugal at Satdium MK on Saturday will be their final game on home soil before the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand commences on July 20.
And Sarina Wiegman’s side, who are targeting back-to-back major tournament wins, will face Haiti two days later
Russo, who helped her team become European champions last July, said: “There’s always a target on England’s back in football.
“We feel really good. It will be a completely different tournament.
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“The Euros is behind us now and it was an incredible summer.
“We saw what we can do and now it’s time for us to come together on the world stage.”
Russo is one of seven WSL aces in Wiegman’s forward ranks for the World Cup with the player scoring 10 goals in 20 top-flight games last term.
The group also includes England and Daly who were among the Women’s Super League’s top three finishers last term with Aston Villa ace Daly winning the Golden Boot.
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Russo added: “You’re always learning as a player and when I first came in, to have the likes of Ellen White there to learn from was incredible.
“Even now with Rach and Beth we are learning things off each other every day.
“Competition has been so high. Rachel and Beth, we’re all competing.
“They are top, top players so to be able to play with them and train with them every day has been great. The wingers too.
“There is so much competition all over the pitch but as a player that’s exactly what you want in the squad.”
England’s opener on July 22 could see Russo play her first World Cup match against debutants Haiti in Group D in Brisbane, Australia.
The game at the 52,500-seater Suncorp Stadium comes 36 days after her Manchester United departure with the player linked to Arsenal following the expiration of her club contract in June.
Russo confirmed her Red Devils farewell in a tweet describing her exit after a three-year spell as the “hardest decision” she has ever made.
The England ace is thought to be closing in on a switch to the Gunners who reportedly had two record-breaking bids knocked back in January.
And aside from Arsenal Russo is also thought to have attracted interest from record Champions League winners Lyon and top tier sides in the United States
Of the speculation, she added: “Towards the end of the season it was tough.
“You don’t like things in the media about you but that’s football
“There’s no nice time to sort things like that out.
“But now I’m here it’s nice to have a full focus on a massive tournament coming up.”
“Coming back into an environment like this is perfect because you’re competing and all your focus is on England.”
This friendship is for life now and she’ll definitely be one of my bridesmaids one day.
Alessia Russo on her friendship with Ella Toone
The Lionesses’ clash with Haiti could see Russo in action with Ella Toone almost a year on from the duo helping England lift the Euros trophy at Wembley.
That 2-1 win over Germany last July saw Toone, 23 make history becoming the first Lioness to score at a Euros final at the stadium.
For Russo it was among the highlights of a friendship that goes back almost decade with their pair becoming during days in England’s Under-15s squad.
The Maidstone-born forward added: “We were friends before we played at United together, we’ve been friends since we were 12 or 13.
“The friendship is for life now and she’ll definitely be one of my bridesmaids one day!
“Ella is super talented and has no ceiling. Her potential is massive, it’s really cool to see.
“We talk about the Euros all the time, about how special it is to go through a journey with someone and then achieve one of your dreams together.
“There are loads of people who are really close in the team and that’s important because football is tough.
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“Sometimes you have a bad day and you need to lean on someone and vice versa.
“When we are on the other side of the world it’s nice to have a little comfort there.”
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
