James Ward Prowse is the Best Free-Kick Shooter in the World

James Ward Prowse is making a name for himself and is currently considered one of the best players in the Premier League.

Ward Prowse, 27, is the current captain of Southampton, and his talent for free kicks has caught everyone’s attention.

The player has captivated even the best coaches like Pep Guardiola, who considers him the best free-kick taker of the moment.

In an interview, the Manchester City boss said, “Right now, James Ward-Prowse is the best free-kick shooter in the world, without a doubt. But the fact that he’s so good at it has perhaps blinded many to just how good he is in all other aspects.”

Out of 87 free kicks, ‘Prowsey’ has nailed 12 into the net. He has scored 13.7% of his free kicks. Only Leo Messi has scored more goals than him since 2014.

In the current Premier League season, the player has scored six goals in 23 appearances for the Saints.

Prowsey shared in an interview what his secret is to be so effective at free-kicks. “It’s a technique that comes naturally to me. When I started shooting free kicks, I watched a lot of players around the world with different techniques, and I ended up doing it my way. When I hit the ball, I do a little jump to make the ball go down after it passes the wall. Giving it that downward spin is a crucial part of why I score so many free-kicks”.

Also, in the same interview, he said that his main inspiration is David Beckham, one of the best free-kick shooters in history.

“I copied his haircuts, I wanted his boots, to wear his number…. He was the footballer I looked up to the most, and he had a big influence on me. He inspired me to shoot free-kicks,” he said and added: “I’ve lost count of how many people have mentioned the similarities between our techniques, but there are differences. I know Beckham had great arm movement, and he was leaning back a little bit more. He wasn’t as hunched over the ball. Me, when I hit, I tend to jump to force that up and down motion. The more I’ve developed my technique, the more I’ve found my own way to do it.”