Female Soccer Player of the Year Contender Russo

Age: 26 Playing Role: Striker Teams: Arsenal and England

The talented forward made history with Arsenal as they emerged as the pioneering British team to claim victory in the Women's Champions League since the North London side did in the 2000s, and also played a key role in leading the Lionesses to the defence of their continental crown.

She scored in the European Championship showpiece match and hit top form for her club, playing a crucial role all campaign long as an attacker and with her work off the ball.

The forward was named the FWA's women's footballer of the year for the previous campaign.

Russo finished as the WSL's co-leading goalscorer, earning a share of the Golden Boot with her rival striker.

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

She was also nominated for the prestigious individual award and selected in the PFA and the European season's best XIs.

Her thoughts on personal development over the previous season:

"My top performances come when I'm enjoying myself and I'm confident my efforts in practice 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 the club. I have great players to learn off as well. Then when the important matches arrive, the greater your experience, the more comfortable you become."

Reflecting on England's European triumph:

"The entire competition was a total emotional ride. There were ups and downs. It tested us mentally. It was taxing on our bodies.

"I remember after the last-eight game, many players were extremely sore and injured. 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 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."

Discussing the European final:

"The overriding feeling that stands out from that whole day was just being very composed, 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 strategy and what we wanted to do.

"Obviously playing against a team like Barcelona, you must accept not possessing the ball because their skill is exceptional. When in possession, they don't give it away frequently.

"We as athletes in the press and defensively, we were really focused on our job at hand. It was a lot of running and plenty of defending. But ultimately 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. Watching her internationally, too, her talent was remarkable. I wish that her career lasted more and still be playing now, but she ranks among the greats.

"I believe anyone that has played with Kelly would agree and I never got the pleasure of doing that. But observing her play was something that I greatly admired."

The striker notched twelve goals in twenty-one games in the Women's Super League last season to divide the scoring award.

Not only was she one of the deadliest players in the league but she was also a persistent danger in the box throughout the campaign, taking more shots (73) and having a higher expected goals tally (nine point seven) than any other player.

Russo's ability to aid the side outside of her goals sets her apart.

Team-mate a teammate often delivered progressive passes into Russo, so effective ball retention was necessary.

Her skill to retreat into midfield, freeing herself from her opposing defender through sharp, darting movements was notable.

If a marker got in tight, she used her physicality to win free-kicks, assisting the side gain settled possession in the enemy territory. In the Champions' League the prior year, no player was drawn more fouls than the Arsenal striker (15).

When the play settles, her control are highly effective. Her regular awareness of her environment means she stays conscious of where rivals are.

She uses few contacts on the ball, moving it clear from defenders marking closely, before locating close colleagues positioned facing towards the goal.

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

She is able turn difficult passes into long periods of stable possession and these possessions in the attacking zone lead to goals, several of these she finishes personally.