Women's Soccer Player of the Year Contender Russo

Years Old: 26 Playing Role: Forward Clubs: The Gunners and England

Alessia Russo made history with her club as they became the first English team to win the Women's Champions League since the North London side did in the 2000s, and also helped guide England to the defence of their European Championship crown.

She scored in the European Championship showpiece match and found her groove for her team, making significant contributions throughout the season in front of goal and with her defensive efforts.

The forward was honored as the Football Writers' Association's women's footballer of the year for last season.

Russo finished as the WSL's joint top scorer, sharing the top scorer award with her rival striker.

She scored twelve league goals for the club and set up for a couple more.

She was also nominated 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 previous season:

"I play my best football when I'm having fun and I know I'm training hard and I'm getting my work done, so that's something that I can always control.

"Numerous elements to a striker's role, it's so detailed and there are so many fine margins. I continue to develop. Our staff is excellent here at Arsenal. I have great players to gain knowledge from as well. Then when the important matches arrive, the more you do them, the more comfortable you become."

Reflecting on England's European triumph:

"The entire competition was a complete rollercoaster. It was highs and lows. It was emotionally really hard. We were physically drained.

"I recall after the Sweden [quarter-final] game, many players were really, really battered and bruised. It was so intense. But recovery had to be swift. It moves so fast.

"I think the way that we won during the event was just determination and toughness. And we were aware that we had the squad, we knew that we had the necessary qualities.

"You're playing against the best teams in the world, the elite athletes in the world and sometimes you have to win a little bit dirty."

On the Champions League final:

"The overriding feeling that stands out from that entire occasion was just being so calm, like we were confident we'd done the work, we knew that we had what it takes, and we knew that we believed in the game plan and what we aimed to achieve.

"Obviously playing against a team like Barcelona, you've got to be comfortable not possessing the ball because they're so talented. When in possession, they retain it that often.

"We as athletes in the press and defensively, we were really focused on our assigned tasks. It was a lot of running and plenty of defending. But ultimately that led to success. In my opinion you have to be content securing victories in that manner as well."

On Arsenal and England legend Kelly Smith being her idol:

"I got the pleasure of watching her a couple of occasions with my dad. Watching her internationally, too, she was just incredible. I hope that she could have played longer and still be playing now, but she ranks among the greats.

"I think anyone that has played with Kelly would agree and I didn't have the chance of experiencing that. But observing her play was someone that I always used to love."

The striker scored twelve goals in twenty-one games in the Women's Super League the previous campaign to share the Golden Boot.

Not only was she one of the deadliest players in the competition but she was also a persistent danger in the penalty area throughout the campaign, attempting more efforts (seventy-three) and having a higher expected goals tally (9.7) than all her peers.

Her capability to aid the side outside of her goals distinguishes her.

Team-mate Mariona Caldentey regularly played forward balls into Russo, so strong hold-up play was necessary.

Her skill to drop deep, freeing herself from her nearby marker through quick, incisive runs was notable.

If a marker got too close, she used her body well to draw fouls, helping her team secure the ball in the opponents' half. In the Champions' League last season, nobody was fouled more than the forward (fifteen).

When the ball does stick, Russo's touches are highly effective. Her regular awareness of her surroundings means she stays conscious of where rivals are.

She uses minimal touches on the ball, moving it clear from opposing players marking closely, before finding nearby team-mates positioned facing towards the goal.

By retaining the ball in difficult scenarios, Russo is often capable to act as an outlet for her team under pressure.

She can convert tough balls into extended spells of stable possession and such phases in the opponent's final third result in scores, many of which she ends up scoring herself.