Women's Soccer Player of the Year Candidate Alessia Russo

Age: 26 Playing Role: Striker Teams: The Gunners and England

The talented forward made history with Arsenal as they became the pioneering English team to win the prestigious European competition since the Gunners did in the 2000s, and also played a key role in leading England to the successful retention of their continental crown.

Russo found the net in the European Championship showpiece match and hit top form for her team, playing a crucial role throughout the season in front of goal and with her work off the ball.

Russo was honored as the FWA's top female player for last season.

Russo finished as the Women's Super League's co-leading goalscorer, earning a share of the top scorer award with Khadija Shaw.

She scored 12 league goals for the club and provided assists for a further two.

She was also nominated for the prestigious individual award and selected in the Professional Footballers' Association and the Uefa Champions League teams of the year.

Her thoughts on personal development over the past year:

"My top performances come when I'm enjoying myself and I'm confident I'm training hard and I'm getting my work done, so those are aspects that I can always control.

"There's so many different aspects to a striker's role, it requires precision and there are tiny differences. I'm always still learning. Our staff is excellent here at the club. There are top teammates to gain knowledge from as well. Then when the big games come around, the greater your experience, 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 tested us mentally. It was taxing on our bodies.

"I remember after the Sweden [quarter-final] game, a lot of us were really, really battered and bruised. The pressure was immense. But you've got to turn it around quickly. It moves so fast.

"In my view 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.

"Facing the best teams in the world, the best players in the world and sometimes you have to win a little bit dirty."

Discussing the European final:

"The overriding feeling that I can remember from that entire occasion was just being so calm, like we were confident our preparation was complete, we knew that we had the ability, and we knew that we believed in the game plan and what we aimed to achieve.

"Obviously playing against a side such as Barça, you've got to be comfortable not possessing the ball because they're so talented. When they do have the ball, they don't give it away that often.

"We as athletes in the high press and defensively, we were highly concentrated on our job at hand. There was extensive movement and a lot of defensive work. But ultimately that's what got the job done. I think that you have to be OK winning games like that as well."

Regarding her inspiration, Kelly Smith:

"I was fortunate of seeing her play a few times with my father. Watching her internationally, 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 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."

Alessia Russo notched 12 goals in 21 games in the Women's Super League last season to divide the scoring award.

Not only was she one of the most clinical players in the competition but she was also a persistent danger in the penalty area all season long, attempting more efforts (73) and recording a superior xG (9.7) than any other player.

Her capability to aid the side beyond scoring sets her apart.

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

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

If a marker got too close, 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 fouled more than the Arsenal striker (fifteen).

When the ball does stick, her control are extremely efficient. Her regular awareness of her surroundings means she remains aware of where rivals are.

She uses minimal touches on the ball, directing it away from defenders marking closely, before finding close colleagues oriented forward.

By keeping possession in difficult scenarios, she is regularly able to act as an outlet for her team under pressure.

She is able turn difficult passes into extended spells of stable possession and these possessions in the attacking zone lead to goals, several of these she ends up scoring herself.