Team of the Year is the pinnacle of the Ultimate Team calendar, and the arrival of Alessia Russo’s 97-rated card has sparked serious debate. With the power curve shifting dramatically, players are looking for strikers who offer more than just raw pace. They need intelligent movement, clinical finishing, and the ability to link play under pressure.
Russo enters the fray as a premium option for Premier League and WSL hybrids. But does she have the mechanics to compete with the likes of Mbappé and Haaland? We tested her extensively in the Elite Division to find out.
Russo is at this moment valued at 1.4 million coins on the transfer market.
Statistical Profile and Setup
At first glance, the stats are terrifying for opposition defenders. With 97 Shooting, 91 Pace, and 95 Dribbling, Russo is built to score from anywhere. However, her 84 Passing might raise eyebrows for those who prefer their strikers to act as deep-lying playmakers.
To maximize her potential, the Engine Chemistry Style is the clear choice. This boosts her Pace, Dribbling, and crucially, her Passing. It transforms her into a more complete forward, ensuring she feels responsive on the ball while sharpening her distribution.
In terms of FC 26 Roles, Russo offers incredible versatility:
- ST: Poacher ++
- ST: False 9 ++
- CAM: Shadow Striker ++
While the Poacher role fits her lethal finishing, don’t sleep on her ability to operate as a False 9. Her physical presence (87 Physicality) allows her to hold off defenders, turn, and drive at the backline.
PlayStyles and Mechanics
The magic of this card lies in the synergy between her PlayStyles. The combination of 
First Touch+ and 
Finesse Shot+ is game-changing.
In FC 26, heavy touches can ruin promising attacks. Russo’s First Touch+ ensures the ball sticks to her feet instantly, even from driven passes. This split-second control allows you to transition immediately into a shot or a dribble.
Once you have that space, Finesse Shot+ takes over. Her ability to curl shots from the edge of the box is elite. While she lacks the Tiki Taka PlayStyle found on some midfielders, she compensates with Incisive Pass. For a striker, Incisive Pass is arguably more valuable, as it allows her to thread final balls to wingers or overlapping midfielders with deadly accuracy.
She also boasts 
Rapid+, Precision+, and Enforcer, making her a well-rounded threat who fights for possession and breaks away with speed.
In-Game Performance
On the virtual pitch, Russo feels electric. The “Engine” boost makes her dribbling snappy, allowing for quick left-stick adjustments in the box. She doesn’t feel clunky despite her high physical stats.
Her standout trait is her Attacking AI. When controlled by the CPU, she consistently finds pockets of space that other strikers miss. Whether it’s a drag-back into a driven shot or a darting run behind the center-backs, her movement creates chances out of nothing.
The 4-Star Skill Moves and 4-Star Weak Foot are perfectly adequate for the current meta. While 5-star skills are a luxury, her technical dribbling is high enough that you rarely feel limited. She executes ball rolls and step-overs with precision, and her weak foot finishing inside the box is reliable.
The Verdict
Alessia Russo’s Team of the Year card is a monster. She offers a blend of physicality and technical brilliance that is rare to find. While some may nitpick the lack of Tiki Taka, her Incisive Pass and general link-up play are more than sufficient for a top-tier striker.
If you are looking for a striker who can finish consistently, hold up the ball, and create space with elite AI movement, this card is a must-have. She represents fantastic value compared to the multi-million coin options and will stay in your starting XI for months to come.
FUTFC Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5/5 Stars
