Female Soccer Player of the Year Contender Alessia Russo

Age: 26 Playing Role: Forward Teams: Arsenal and the English national team

The talented forward made history with Arsenal as they emerged as the pioneering British team to win the prestigious European competition since the North London side did in the 2000s, and also helped guide England to the defence of their European Championship crown.

Russo found the net in the European Championship final and found her groove for her team, playing a crucial role all campaign long as an attacker and with her work off the ball.

Russo was honored as the FWA's top female player for the previous campaign.

She was the WSL's co-leading goalscorer, sharing the Golden Boot with Khadija Shaw.

Russo netted twelve WSL goals for Arsenal and provided assists for a further two.

Her name was put forward for the prestigious individual award and named in the Professional Footballers' Association and the Uefa Champions League teams of the year.

Her thoughts on personal development over the past year:

"I play my best football when I'm enjoying myself and I'm confident my efforts in practice and I'm getting my work done, so those are aspects that I can always control.

"Numerous elements to a number nine position, it's so detailed and there are tiny differences. I'm always still learning. Our staff is excellent here at Arsenal. There are top teammates to learn off as well. Then when the big games arrive, the greater your experience, the more you get used to them."

Reflecting on England's European triumph:

"The whole tournament was a complete rollercoaster. There were ups and downs. It tested us mentally. It was taxing on our bodies.

"I remember after the last-eight game, a lot of us were extremely sore and injured. The pressure was immense. But you've got to turn it around quickly. It moves so fast.

"I think the way that we won during the event was just grit and resilience. And I think that we knew that we had the team, we knew that we had what it takes.

"You're playing against the best teams in the world, the elite athletes in the world and occasionally you have to grind out results."

On the Champions League final:

"The main emotion that I can remember from that entire occasion was just being very composed, like we were confident our preparation was complete, we knew that we had what it takes, and we knew that we trusted the game plan and what we aimed to achieve.

"Obviously playing against a side such as Barça, you must accept not possessing the ball because their skill is exceptional. When they do have the ball, they don't give it away that often.

"As players in the high press and out of possession, we were highly concentrated on our job at hand. There was extensive movement and plenty of defending. But in the end that's what got the job done. I think that you have to be content winning games like that as well."

On Arsenal and England legend Kelly Smith being her idol:

"I got the pleasure of seeing her play a few times with my dad. Seeing her for England, too, she was just incredible. I hope that she could have played longer and she was active today, but she was one of the best ever.

"I think anyone that has played with Kelly would agree and I never got the pleasure of experiencing that. But watching her was someone that I greatly admired."

The striker scored twelve goals in 21 games in the WSL last season to divide the scoring award.

She was not just one of the deadliest players in the league but Russo was also a persistent danger in the box all season long, attempting more efforts (73) and recording a superior xG (nine point seven) than all her peers.

Her capability to contribute to the team beyond scoring sets her apart.

Team-mate Mariona Caldentey often delivered progressive passes into Russo, so effective ball retention was essential.

Russo's ability to drop deep, freeing herself from her nearby marker through sharp, darting movements was notable.

If a marker got in tight, she used her body well to win free-kicks, helping her team secure the ball in the enemy territory. In the Champions' League last season, no player was drawn more fouls than the Arsenal striker (fifteen).

When the play settles, Russo's touches are extremely efficient. Her regular awareness of her surroundings means she stays conscious of where opponents are.

Russo takes minimal touches on the ball, directing it away from defenders applying player-to-player pressure, before locating close colleagues positioned facing towards the goal.

By retaining the ball in difficult scenarios, she is often capable to act as an outlet for her side in trouble.

She is able turn difficult passes into extended spells of stable possession and such phases in the attacking zone result in scores, many of which she ends up scoring herself.