Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain - After rising to fame with Southampton during the 2010–11 season aged just 17, Alex signed for Arsenal in August 2011. Scoring twice in his first three matches for the club, Alex became the youngest English goalscorer in UEFA Champions League history and also claimed a regular place in the England under-21 team. Over his six seasons at Arsenal, he played 198 games and scored 20 goals, winning the FA Cup three times. He then went on to sign for Liverpool in August 2017.
Alex made his debut for the senior England team on 26 May 2012 in a 1–0 win against Norway in a friendly. Following this, he received a surprise call-up to the England squad for UEFA Euro 2012, becoming the second youngest player ever to represent England in the European Championships behind Wayne Rooney. He was also called up for the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
Born in Portsmouth, Hampshire, Alexander Oxlade-Chamberlain is the son of former Stoke City, Portsmouth and England international player Mark Chamberlain. His uncle, Neville Chamberlain, was also a professional footballer, as is his younger brother, Christian, who plays for Notts County.
Alex attended an independent UK boarding school near his home town and was clearly talented in various other sports as he played rugby union as a scrum half or full back and was offered a trial at London Irish Rugby Union club which he almost chose over a football career. He also played cricket as a wicketkeeper, bowler and opening batsman with south east Hampshire whereby he was also offered trials as a wicketkeeper and batsman, but declined because it conflicted with his footballing duties.
Alex’s parents chose the boarding school pathway into the world of football for him that is becoming more and more popular these days with UK and international students. UK football boarding schools have some of the world’s best football programmes for young aspiring players due to the facilities and the top class coaching/management staff on hand to help with a potential successful career.
If this pathway wasn’t chosen for Alex would his life be a totally different life now and would he have made it to where he is now? No one can say what would have happened or what life Alex would be leading now but what did happen is Alex certainly took his opportunity and didn’t fail in doing so.
UK Football Schools are on hand to help with anyone looking to choose this pathway into the footballing world and potentially help in finding the same career path as Alexander Oxlaide-Chamberlain.