James Ward-Prowse joined West Ham needing just one direct free-kick goal to match David Beckham's Premier League record but is still chasing down that milestone
James Ward-Prowse (R) celebrating his goal against Ipswich on the final day of the Premier League season
James Ward-Prowse (R) celebrating his goal against Ipswich on the final day of the Premier League season
(Image: PA)
On the final day of the Premier League season, James Ward-Prowse scored his first goal in more than a year. There was still something missing, though.
When the England international joined West Ham United in the summer of 2023, he sat just one behind David Beckham in the ranking of players with most direct free-kick goals in the Premier League. Two seasons and 61 appearances later - 52 for the Hammers and nine on loan at Nottingham Forest - that hasn’t changed.
Ward-Prowse has scored direct from a corner during that period, helping the Hammers beat Wolves in April 2024, but he tells Mirror Football he isn’t rushing to add that to his tally. “I've had a few people mention that but no, I think we'll wait for the free-kick,” the 30-year-old says with a smile.
He was speaking at the launch of the Curl Master ONE, a unique football training device designed to improve a football player’s ball curling technique. Backed by research conducted at Loughborough University, it allows users to set spin direction and speed to improve muscle memory for free-kick takers.
As someone with hundreds of Premier League appearances, Ward-Prowse’s own career has allowed him to figure out what does and doesn’t work for him. However, even he is open to learning new things if they can help him improve on the pitch.
“I think it's a great training aid, obviously for someone who's maybe starting out to take free-kicks, for example,” Ward-Prowse says. “I think it's a great tool for them to be able to learn the technique of curling the ball and to be given that confidence.
“No matter how old you are, I think there's always an opportunity to pick something up and learn something new. I could do with it myself at the minute - it's been a while since I've scored a free-kick!”
James Ward-Prowse in 2025
James Ward-Prowse is chasing down David Beckham's record
(Image: Greg Coleman / Curl Master)
All 17 of Ward-Prowse’s goals from free-kicks in the Premier League came with boyhood club Southampton, and he remembers when he was the beginner in the equation. Back then, England international Rickie Lambert was the old head, and Ward-Prowse still has strong memories of that time.
“I think that's part of the journey now, to be able to hopefully give back to the younger players coming through and offer them that advice,” he says. “And if I'm able to give something back then that would be really positive and it's something I want to do for sure.
“I remember when I first came through, Rickie Lambert was the main free kick taker at Southampton and I remember him giving me advice and technique and queueing up with him on the training pitch to take them and he was watching me. So to be on that side of it now feels full circle but a really good one and I think a really good sign that you've done something right.”
James Ward-Prowse scoring direct from a corner when West Ham beat Wolves in 2024
Ward-Prowse scored direct from a corner when West Ham beat Wolves in 2024
(Image: CameraSport via Getty Images)
He describes his own goal drought as little more than a “sticky patch,” with that final day effort in a win at Ipswich serving as a reminder he still knows where the back of the net is. And it’s not just Ward-Prowse who has found things tough at the London Stadium over the last year.
The 2023-24 season ended with David Moyes leaving the club, and new manager Julen Lopetegui lasted just a few months before he too made way for current boss Graham Potter. Two wins from the last two away games helped clinch a 14th-place finish, with safety from relegation achieved with time to spare, but there’s still a feeling of disappointment around the club after three top-half finishes in the previous four campaigns.
“I think the overall feeling is of disappointment in what we've done this season, but I think that gives us a bit more incentive to go away in the summer, have a good think about how we want to come back in the pre-season and put things right,” Ward-Prowse says. “I'm sure the manager will be looking forward to getting his hands on us in pre-season and really stamping his authority on things.”
James Ward-Prowse with Graham potter at Man Utd vs West Ham
Graham Potter brought Ward-Prowse back to East London after a loan spell
(Image: Getty Images)
Potter’s arrival has been broadly well-received, not least by Ward-Prowse, who was brought back from loan early in the manager’s tenure. It will be a summer of change at the London Stadium, though, with Conference League winners Lukasz Fabianski, Aaron Cresswell, Vladimir Coufal, Danny Ings and Kurt Zouma all leaving upon the expiry of their contracts.
“I think when a new manager comes in, things always change, because they have their own ideas and the way they want to stamp their authority on the club. But speaking for myself, it's been a really positive experience coming back,” Ward-Prowse adds.
“Okay, the results haven't been maybe where we want to be, and I think that's been a disappointment, but we've been really competitive in all the games and they've just fallen the wrong side on some of them. There's a good feeling amongst the group that we're moving in the right direction, even though the results maybe haven't been what we wanted, but everybody's enjoying it and working well on the training ground.
“It's the best league in the world and the toughest league in the world, and it all comes down to the fine details. We have to be better at that side of the game and focus on those parts as well, but I think it's important to be solid defensively.
“I think that was a point the manager made early on into his tenure and we've certainly shored up that defence. We just need to keep improving on all aspects and I'm sure it will turn around well for us.”
James Ward-Prowse scoring a free-kick for Southampton
Ward-Prowse was a free-kick master for Southampton
(Image: Getty Images)
If an upturn in the club’s form is top of the list, ending that free-kick drought isn’t too far behind. The response from team-mates has been one of encouragement rather than stick, though Ward-Prowse doesn’t have anything special in place celebration-wise for when the moment arrives.
“It'll be when it's meant to be,” he says. “I'm not sure what I'll do - I just want to get the ball in the net first and then I'll think about it.”
James Ward-Prowse was speaking at the launch of the Curl Master ONE, a unique football training device designed to improve a football player’s ball curling technique. To purchase yours, visit www.curlmaster.com
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