Since our cafe meet, a fair bit has happened. Arsenal won the Champions League. An afterparty in Porto ensued, followed by an unforgettable victory parade in N5 (we’ve all seen the Katie McCabe videos). Oh, and Russo’s niece – a girl – arrived the day before the final, on 23 May.
“23 is a massive number in our family. I wear 23 for Arsenal [Russo loves Michael Jordan] and Mum and Dad got married on 23 July, so when baby Rosa was born on the 23rd, I just thought, This is meant to be, the stars have aligned and we’re going to win,” she says, still unsure whether she’s actually processed that achievement. “After we got off the flight home, I went back to mine, walked through the door and just sat down for a while. I thought, Wow, what have we done? It’s a trophy I’ve always dreamed about winning, and now I have.”
In the second minute of stoppage time, with the Gunners within touching distance of an historic victory thanks to a goal from Stina Blackstenius in the 74th minute, Russo, who had been a nuisance to Barcelona’s defence all match and led the line valiantly in the Porto heat, looked over to the dugout to see her number was up. No 23 off, making way for No 3, her former roommate, Wubben-Moy.
Leaving the pitch to rapturous applause, Russo and Wubben-Moy smiled and shared the kind of full circle moment a documentary could be based around. “Knowing how much Arsenal means to Lotte and how much of a part she’s played in getting this club back where it belongs, that was really nice,” says Russo. “I’ve gone through my biggest highs and biggest lows with her because we’ve been friends for so long, so to share that moment with her was special.”
Another famous No 23, David Beckham, was among those to send DMs of good luck and congratulations. “There were lots of really cool messages that the girls got, which just shows how far this game reached, and how aware people were of it,” she says. One text she always looks out for is from her dad, who messages her, without fail, before every match. He sends the crest of the team his daughter is playing against with a few things to focus on in the game and an inspirational quote or video.
Amid all the post-match celebrations, it makes seeing Russo’s winners’ medal draped around Mario’s neck in her Instagram post all the more fitting. “My two top priorities in life are family and football, so to have them there to celebrate was so, so special. They came on the pitch then we had a big party. To get to enjoy that high with them makes it even better,” she says. “Coming from the family I’ve come from definitely makes me want to have my own family one day.”
Having added a Champions League medal to her Football Writers Association Player of the Year gong, if Russo has a good Euro 2025 for England, surely she’s in the running for the Ballon d’Or too? “There’s no greater feeling than winning trophies as a team. If that means individual ones come along the way, then great,” she says.
Indeed, now attention quickly turns to England and Euro 2025. “I always love coming into camp, the focus switches,” she says. The squad is in great spirits despite the media’s best efforts to suggest otherwise. When we speak, the news of Earps’ retirement has just broken and all Russo has is love and respect for a player she describes as a best friend. “Mary taught me so much about the passion that it takes to play for England.”