Female Soccer Player of the Year Contender Russo

Years Old: 26 Playing Role: Striker Clubs: Arsenal and the English national team

The talented forward made history with her club as they emerged as the first English team to claim victory in the Women's Champions League since the North London side did in 2008, and also helped guide England to the defence of their European Championship title.

Russo found the net in the European Championship final and found her groove for her team, playing a crucial role throughout the season in front of goal and with her defensive efforts.

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

She was the Women's Super League's joint top scorer, sharing the Golden Boot with her rival striker.

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

Her name was put forward for the prestigious individual award and named in the Professional Footballers' Association and the European season's best XIs.

Her thoughts on personal development over the past year:

"My top performances come when I'm having fun and I'm confident I'm training hard and I'm getting my work done, so those are aspects that are within my power.

"There's so many different aspects to a number nine position, it requires precision and there are tiny differences. I continue to develop. Our staff is excellent here at Arsenal. There are top teammates to gain knowledge from as well. Then when the important matches come around, the more you do them, the more you get used to them."

Reflecting on England's European triumph:

"The entire competition was a total emotional ride. There were ups and downs. 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. 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 determination and toughness. And we were aware 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 occasionally you have to grind out results."

Discussing the European final:

"The main emotion that I can remember 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 strategy and what we wanted to do.

"Naturally playing against a team like Barcelona, you've got to be comfortable not possessing the ball because their skill is exceptional. When they do have the ball, they don't give it away that often.

"We as athletes in the press and defensively, 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. In my opinion you have to be OK winning games like that as well."

Regarding her inspiration, Kelly Smith:

"I got the pleasure of watching her a few times with my dad. Seeing her for England, too, she was just incredible. I wish that her career lasted more and still be playing now, but she ranks among the greats.

"I believe those who teamed up with her would agree and I never got the pleasure of doing that. But watching her was something that I greatly admired."

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

She was not just one of the deadliest players in the competition but she was also a constant threat in the box all season long, taking more shots (73) and having a higher expected goals tally (9.7) than any other player.

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.

Russo's ability to drop deep, creating space from her nearby marker through quick, incisive runs was notable.

If a marker got too close, Russo used her physicality to draw fouls, helping her team secure the ball in the enemy territory. In the Champions' League last season, no player was fouled more than the Arsenal striker (fifteen).

When the play settles, her control are extremely efficient. Her frequent scanning 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 close colleagues positioned facing towards the goal.

By keeping possession in tough situations, she is often capable to act as an outlet for her side in trouble.

She can convert tough balls into long periods of controlled play and these possessions in the opponent's final third result in scores, many of which she finishes personally.