- published: 03 Jul 2015
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Alexander Mark David "Alex" Oxlade-Chamberlain (born 15 August 1993) is an English footballer who plays for Arsenal and the England national football team as a winger. After rising to prominence with Southampton during the 2010–11 season, he signed for Arsenal in August 2011. Scoring twice in his first three games for the club, Oxlade-Chamberlain became the youngest English goal scorer in UEFA Champions League history and has also claimed a regular place in the England Under-21s team. Fans have nicknamed him "The Ox", derived from the first part of his surname, "Oxlade", as well as his physical tenacity and powerful playing style. He made his debut for the senior England side on 26 May 2012 against Norway.
Born in Portsmouth, Hampshire, Oxlade-Chamberlain joined the Southampton Academy at the age of seven and made his professional debut in 2010. On 2 March 2010, he made his first team debut for Southampton, at 16 years 199 days, coming off the bench in a 5–0 victory over Huddersfield Town and became the club's second youngest ever appearance maker behind Theo Walcott. Oxlade-Chamberlain appeared as an 82nd minute substitute for Jason Puncheon on 8 May 2010 in the final game of the season against Southend United. At the beginning of the 2010–11 season, Oxlade-Chamberlain made his first competitive start on 10 August against Bournemouth in the first round of the League Cup. During the match he scored the second goal of Southampton's 2–0 victory, his first senior goal.