Women's Footballer of the Year Contender Alessia Russo

Years Old: 26 Playing Role: Striker Clubs: Arsenal and England

The talented forward created a legacy with Arsenal as they emerged as the first English team to win the Women's Champions League since the North London side did in 2008, and also played a key role in leading the Lionesses to the successful retention of their European Championship crown.

She scored in the European Championship showpiece match and hit top form for her club, playing a crucial role throughout the season as an attacker and with her defensive efforts.

The forward was honored as the Football Writers' Association's top female player for last season.

She was the WSL's co-leading goalscorer, sharing the top scorer award with Khadija Shaw.

She scored 12 WSL goals for Arsenal and provided assists for a couple more.

Her name was put forward for the prestigious individual award and selected in the PFA 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'm confident I'm training hard and completing my tasks, so those are aspects 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 you get used to them."

Reflecting on England's European triumph:

"The entire competition was a complete rollercoaster. It was highs and lows. It was emotionally really hard. It was taxing on our bodies.

"I recall after the last-eight game, many players were extremely sore and injured. It was so intense. But you've got to turn it around quickly. The schedule is relentless.

"I think the way that we won throughout that whole tournament was just grit and resilience. And I think that we knew that we had the squad, we knew that we had the necessary qualities.

"You're playing against the top sides in the world, the elite athletes in the world and occasionally you have to win a little bit dirty."

Discussing the European final:

"The main emotion that I can remember from that entire occasion was just being very composed, like we knew we'd done the work, we knew that we had the ability, and we knew that we believed in the strategy and what we wanted to do.

"Naturally playing against a side such as Barça, you've got to be comfortable not having the ball because their skill is exceptional. When they do have the ball, they retain it that often.

"We as athletes in the press and out of possession, we were highly concentrated on our assigned tasks. It was a lot of running and plenty of defending. But in the end that led to success. I think that you have to be OK 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 wish that she could have played longer and still be playing now, but she ranks among the greats.

"I believe anyone that has played with Kelly would say the same thing and I didn't have the chance of doing that. But observing her play was something that I greatly admired."

The striker scored twelve goals in twenty-one games in the WSL last season to share the Golden Boot.

She was not just one of the deadliest players in the league but she was also a constant threat in the penalty area all season long, taking more shots (seventy-three) and recording a superior xG (9.7) than any other player.

Her capability to contribute to the team beyond scoring distinguishes her.

Fellow player a teammate often delivered forward balls into her, so strong hold-up play was necessary.

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

If a defender got too close, she used her body well to draw fouls, assisting the side secure the ball in the opponents' half. In the European tournament last season, no player was fouled more than the Arsenal striker (15).

When the ball does stick, her control are highly effective. Her frequent scanning of her environment means she stays conscious of where opponents are.

Russo takes minimal touches on the ball, directing it away from opposing players marking closely, before locating nearby team-mates oriented forward.

By retaining the ball in tough situations, Russo is often capable to act as an outlet for her side in trouble.

She can turn difficult passes into long periods of stable possession and these possessions in the attacking zone result in scores, many of which she ends up scoring herself.