As Arsenal and England ace Alessia Russo gears up to spearhead her nation's quest at the fast-approaching European Championships, her sibling Gio is bracing for an entirely distinct summer. With Alessia honing her skills in Switzerland with the Lionesses, her brother Gio finds himself heading to Love Island.
Former non-league footballer Gio, full name Giorgio, who harbours a hearty passion for sports, has disclosed how his sister, a staunch Love Island enthusiast, feels about his venture onto the reality scene.
"She's really excited, she watches every year and reckons I can do well so she's excited to see how I get on," Gio shared with ITV. As Gio sets his sights on romance, he emphasises that having a partner who appreciates sport is vital.
"My sister plays pro football, so being interested in sport, they don't have to know football or understand it, but if they can show some sort of interest because it is such a prominent thing in our family," he explained. "It would be hard if they hated it."
Also, Gio quipped about his craving for a warm family connection saying, "Other green flags are having a nice family, I'm sick of being the 7th wheel in my own family!" He revealed this sentiment as he preps for his delayed entry to the show that kicked off on June 9, reports [the Mirror](https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/alessia-russo-brother-love-island-35441262).
However, Gio's stint under the spotlight might mean missing significant chunks of Alessia's exploits at the Euros. The Lionesses launch their bid versus France on July 5, followed by tussles with The Netherlands and Wales in their group battles.
England and France found themselves in the same qualifying group, with Alessia Russo netting for Sarina Wiegman's side during a triumphant outing in Saint-Etienne. The Arsenal ace bagged four goals for the Lionesses as they clinched Euro glory on home turf in 2022, and she emerged as England's leading marksman in the race to the 2025 tournament with three strikes.
Wiegman's squad is set to bid adieu with a friendly against Jamaica on Sunday at Leicester's King Power Stadium. Russo was on target in the Lionesses' last fixture, a UEFA Nations League clash against Spain, although the match concluded with a tight 2-1 loss.
Gio isn't the sole Love Island contestant with ties to the beautiful game. Dejon Noel-Williams, offspring of ex-Watford forward Gifton and a Grenada international himself, is also among the cast.
Dejon, who juggles duties as a personal trainer and semi-professional footballer, shared: "I've met all kinds of famous people through him," reflecting on his father's influence. "When I was younger it was weird because he was just my dad, but we'd go to a game and fans were asking for photos. I've met David Beckham, he was really nice."