Midfielder Steven Davis has made the role of Southampton's unsung hero his own over the past three seasons, but selfless Ryan Bertrand deserves the plaudits for putting team success ahead of his own person international ambitions.
With former Southampton teenage sensation Luke Shaw still sidelined with a broken leg, Bertrand will be hoping to make England's coveted left-back spot his own at the European Championship this summer.
However, that lofty target has not stopped Bertrand from answering manager Ronald Koeman's call to play as a third-centre back in order to assist Southampton's push for their own European glory. It is a position the former Chelsea youngster is likely to adapt against Liverpool on Sunday, with Koeman set to turn to his now trusted 3-5-2 formation to try and stifle the Reds' fluid and free-flowing attack.
While Bertrand has been helping Southampton pick up precious points in their pursuit of the top-six finish likely to be needed for a Europa League place, rivals Leighton Baines (Everton), and the impressive Danny Rose (Tottenham) in particular, have had the opportunity to stake their claims with England coach Roy Hodgson.
Barring a dramatic change of tactics, it does not seem likely that Hodgson will entertain playing Bertrand as a centre-back in France, although he has hardly put a foot wrong when moved into the middle by Koeman.
At 5-foot-10, Bertrand does not possess the natural stature or build of the archetypal centre-half, but his aerial prowess and reading of the game, coupled with an ability to pass his way out from his own final third, mean he has slotted into the role with relative ease.
The positional switch has also helped transform the form of England under-21 left back Matt-Targett, who has thrived when deployed as a left wing-back, for which mentor Bertrand should take a huge amount of credit.
However, that system does prevent Bertrand making his trademark overlapping runs down the byline and whipping in crosses for Southampton's front players -- both facets of the game Hodgson admirers in his England full-backs.
Bertrand will surely hope his level of consistency in the two seasons he has been at the St Mary's Stadium -- initially on loan from Chelsea before making a permanent move in February last year -- have already provided Hodgson with enough tangible evidence he is the man to step into Shaw's shoes.
He could also seek comfort in the fact Hodgson has spoken publicly about the loyalty he has for the players who have served him so well during the qualifying campaign, although this also opens the door for Everton's Baines.
However, the more minutes Bertrand plays in a back three the less opportunity it gives him to show his complete skill set and that has to be a concern for a man who as recently as April 2015 was remarkably regarded by Hodgson as England's fifth-choice left-back.
Not that Bertrand's dilemma will be a cause for concern for Koeman, whose main priority on Sunday should be getting revenge on opposite number Jurgen Klopp for Southampton's humiliating 6-1 Capital One Cup defeat at the hands of Liverpool in November.
That loss -- Southampton's worst at home for 56 years -- was the low point of a dreadful run of one win in 10 matches which could yet prove costly in Southampton's pursuit of a European place, and the wounds are still raw in the dressing room.
That it was inflicted by a Liverpool side containing two former Southampton players now despised by the home fans in Adam Lallana and Dejan Lovren made it even more painful. Koeman will be hoping team player Bertrand can lead his side to redemption.