James Ward-Prowse has labeled his relationship with Wilfried Zaha as a “great rivalry”.
The Southampton midfielder and the Crystal Palace forward have had a number of flashpoints over the years, starting when Zaha was sent off away at St Mary’s in January 2019.
Booked after tangling with the Saints midfielder, the Palace star sarcastically applauded referee Andre Marriner.
Hostilities were renewed in January 2020, with Zaha escaping FA punishment after appearing to poke Ward-Prowse in the eye during a Premier League clash at Selhurst Park.
The two will meet again on Tuesday when Ivory Coast play England at Wembley, a game in which both players are likely to start.
Zaha made two friendly appearances of England before switching allegiance to the country of his birth in 2016.
"I think it’s a good way of helping us prepare for the tournament and, yeah, of course, I mean, it’s a great rivalry, I suppose," he said with a laugh.
"But I have the utmost respect for him. He’s a fantastic player and he’s somebody that we have to be wary of.
"I think it’ll be an exciting game. To be playing a different nation is definitely exciting."
Gareth Southgate is planning wholesale changes against the Ivorians, meaning goalkeeper Fraser Forster could make his first England appearance since 2016.
Injuries led to the 34-year-old’s surprise return to the international set-up and Ward-Prowse is delighted for his close friend after coming through adversity to impress between the sticks for Saints.
Additional reporting from PA
