James Ward-Prowse

James Ward-Prowse is one of only four players to win Southampton's Player of the Year award in consecutive seasons, which he did in 2020–21 and 2021–22. In the first of those years he played every minute of Southampton's Premier League campaign. He was still left out of the PFA Team of the Year.

He came through the club's academy and won its Scholar of the Season award in 2013. His senior debut had come in October 2011, and he stayed at Southampton until 2023.

His best return for assists in a Premier League season was eight, reached in both 2021–22 and 2022–23. That is well short of the single-season record: Kevin De Bruyne has 20 and Bruno Fernandes 21.

His England career began on 22 March 2017 in a 1–0 defeat to Germany. He went on to win 11 caps and score twice, both goals coming in World Cup qualifiers, against San Marino and the Czech Republic.

The England record is where his club form and his international selection diverge. Ward-Prowse did not make the final squad for UEFA Euro 2020, the 2022 FIFA World Cup or UEFA Euro 2024. In two of those years, 2020–21 and 2021–22, he had been named Southampton's best player.