Kent’s Alessia Russo is set to play in the biggest game of her career today, as the Lionesses take on Spain in the final of the Women's World Cup.

But it wasn’t so long ago the 24-year-old was lifting trophies while playing for grassroots teams in her hometown of Maidstone.

The Arsenal starlet has netted three vital goals in the run-up to the final, where England will kick off against Spain at 11am.

KentOnline will be bringing you live reactions from fans watching the historic match at Bearsted FC – one of Russo’s first clubs.

It was there she joined a boy's team where she was coached by Colin Whitfield, who knew her beforehand through her football-playing older brother Giorgio.

The now-retired police officer said that, even at that young age, he could “see that she was going to go all the way”.

The 56-year-old said: “She was with me at Bearsted FC for a season and then she went on to Charlton. But it’s nice because she has maintained her links with the club.

“When she finished a season with Charlton, if we were involved in any tournaments, she would try and link back in with the girls and play tournaments with us.

“It’s been great to watch her.”

Mr Whitfield will be watching the final at home where he says there will be “pandemonium” if the 24-year-old scores.

He said: “I am really happy for her and absolutely over the moon for her.

“I get so nervous before watching the games but after the win against Australia, I think the Lionesses will win 3-1.”

Before her Bearsted stint, she began her career at village level.

Writing about her sporting journey earlier in the tournament, Russo said: “My earliest football memory is going down to my local team, West Farleigh, with my mum, dad and brothers.

“I was too young to play on the boys' team but I would just knock a ball around on the side of the pitch and was waiting until I was old enough to join.

“Where I lived in East Farleigh we were on this little close where there was a park at the end of the street… well you couldn’t really call it a park as it was just a strip of grass that was only about 20m long.

“But every day after school, I'd rush home, drop my bags, change clothes and go play football there until my mum called me in for dinner.

“I just played as much football as I could and wanted to play as soon as I got home…”

“I just played as much football as I could and wanted to play as soon as I got home.

“I would also play at my primary school, East Farleigh Primary School. We would play every day on the playground with those sponge balls, which you couldn’t get much power with! They were so rubbish!”

Chairman at East Farleigh FC, Paul Baines, said he remembers a “girl showing up to play” for one of the new youth teams in 2005/06, set up by Paul Beck after his sons expressed a desire to play for a junior team.

Russo was just five and, in her last game for the club, Russo’s U7 team won the Weald of Kent Charity Cup.

Mr Baines said: “She was remarkable from what I have been told.

“I then met her and her dad Mario several years later when she was a teenager. The pair asked to use our facilities which I said was fine.

“They set up cones and did some drills on the grass which I was cutting, so they moved the cones a few times.

“I didn’t think much of it and she didn't say she used to play there as a girl. It was only when the European Championships came around when Russo became a household name that I was made aware that she played for the club.

“It is nice that we played a tiny role in her career and we are so pleased for her.”

And it’s not the first time the Lioness has been involved in a World Cup final – well, sort of.

In 2010, aged just 11, she lifted the trophy in the Kent Messenger’s very own mini World Cup contest.

Thirty-two primary schools went head-to-head in the tournament, all representing different countries, and Russo captained East Farleigh’s team to victory at Mote Park in Maidstone.

Russo recalled: “We were assigned South Korea and we won the tournament.

“My school was tiny, with not many pupils and we would compete against the bigger schools so nobody expected us to win so that was definitely a highlight of school – we were all buzzing.”

“This is the biggest game, the one you dream about...”

After that she moved to St Simon Stock Catholic School where she continued to play.

She said: “ I'd play in the yard with the boys, always remembering to bring in trainers as I wasn't allowed to play in my school shoes because my mum would go nuts because of me ruining my school shoes every week.

“When I think back to my early days, I loved nothing more than having a ball at my feet, whether it was in the garden with my brothers, in the park with friends, or with my grassroots team.

“I loved playing, getting muddy on the pitch, scoring goals, and just having fun with everyone. My earliest memories of football were really positive and made me fall in love with football even more.”

Speaking in a press conference ahead of today’s World Cup final she admitted: “This is the biggest game, the one you dream about. The one that means the most.”

“This is it and we can’t wait.”