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Venue: Stadium Australia Date: 12 August Kick-off: 11:30 BSTCoverage: Listen on BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Sounds and follow on the BBC Sport website & app. Full coverage details; latest news
England striker Alessia Russo has taken advice from her “idol” Da Beckham to embrace her first Women’s World Cup experience.
Russo, 24, has started every match in Australia so far as England prepare to face Colombia in the quarter-finals at 11:30 BST on Saturday.
It is the Arsenal striker’s second major tournament, but she only made substitute appearances at Euro 2022.
“It was a completely World Cup-focused conversation,” said Russo.
Russo said former men’s England captain Beckham had spoken to her about what he did on the pitch “but [also] how he felt in moments of a World Cup”.
“He said they were the biggest highlights of his career – moments that obviously he will never forget. He said that his best and biggest memories were in an England shirt,” she added.
“It is something that you can really relate to. Stepping into my first World Cup is something I’ve dreamt of ever since I can remember.”
Russo swapped shirts and exchanged numbers with Beckham prior to flying out to Australia and was told she is his 12-year-old daughter, Harper’s favourite player.
“He has been one of my idols ever since I was a little girl,” added Russo.
“It is one of my biggest highlights off the pitch to sit and have a normal conversation with someone who you would watch on the world stage when you were a young girl.
“He said we should never lose sight of what we are doing as a team. I think sometimes we are always in the moment and all we see and compete for every day is [stuff on] the pitch and in training.
“But there’s an impact away from that and that’s really special to hear. Hearing that Harper is a huge fan is nice.”
‘There is always weight on your shoulders’
Russo made a name for herself at Euro 2022 as a “super-sub” for now retired striker Ellen White, scoring four goals off the bench, including an infamous backheel in the semi-final.
However, goals have been hard to come by for England at the World Cup, with the team recording 1-0 wins over Haiti and Denmark in the group stages, before needing a penalty shootout to decide a goalless 120 minutes with Nigeria in the last 16.
A 6-1 thrashing of China was the highlight of England’s tournament so far with Russo grabbing her only goal after just four minutes of that match.
“I’m a striker, I like to try and create and assist as much as possible, but sometimes you can have other impacts in games,” said Russo.
“It was obviously nice to score in a World Cup and have that feeling but it’s all about winning and progressing in this tournament.
“You can see the games are so tight. It’s just fractions that win you the games, so yes it was great, but as long as we win.
“There is always weight on your shoulders when you play for your country. It is different [than playing for a club], but your job is the same and your focus is the same.”
