Fashion Passion, Looking Up To Drogba & Friendship with Lewis Hamilton

• Released
  47 minutes ago

This Sports Conversation constitutes an innovative program in which leading personalities from sports and show business participate with host Kelly Somers for frank and detailed dialogues about football.

The program examines mental approach and drive, discussing defining moments, career highlights and individual insights. The Football Interview reveals the individual behind the player.

The Chelsea defender started training with Chelsea at six years old and - after developing through the academy and into the first team - is now team leader.

James announced himself to the Stamford Bridge faithful in style, scoring on his debut in a 7-1 victory over the opposition in September 2019.

Now 25, his professional achievements to date include earning his England debut against the Welsh team in the year 2020, winning the Champions League with Chelsea in 2021, and being appointed club captain in 2023.

Nevertheless, his journey hasn't been without challenges, with a series of injuries affecting him over recent years.

The athlete spoke with Kelly Somers to talk about his career highs, Thiago Silva's influence, and his friendship with multiple Formula One title winner Lewis Hamilton.

Kelly Somers: Initial inquiry: name, your origins, and what's your coffee order?

Reece James: The name is Reece James, I grew up in Mortlake, near Richmond - I expect more people will know that area. My beverage is a specific coffee type.

The host: Has it always been a that particular coffee?

Reece: Not exactly, it started with, like, vanilla lattes and stuff.

The presenter: We'll begin by discussing soccer. What significance does soccer hold to you?

Reece: Essentially, from a little kid, it was practically my entire focus in education. I wasn't exactly the brightest kid, and I simply adored the sport.

The interviewer: Your first recollection of participating? Is this tough to answer because it was such a significant aspect of your childhood and development?

James: No, simply due to my recollection is so bad. My earliest memory was probably, unsure, attending matches of my sibling compete. He's two years older than me, and he also participated as well.

The host: It was big in your family, correct, because your father was deeply engaged? He's a football coach too, right? Tell me a bit about that.

The athlete: So we were three of us during childhood. It was completely soccer-obsessed, and he obviously was a trainer as well, and we used to train a lot with him.

The presenter: Can you recall a lot of those sessions? Since I learned that starting from the four years old, you practiced outdoors and he was doing drills with you in the back garden.

Reece: Yes, I recall - the drills began early. Fortunately, they proved beneficial for me and my sibling [Chelsea and national team attacker Lauren James].

Kelly: Talk to me about your initial club that you represented as a child, what was it called, and what can you remember?

The defender: I don't remember much, frankly. It was the local team in Kew. I believe I was there for about a year. From that point that I was scouted for Chelsea.

The host: You didn't start as a defender at first, correct? Talk to me about your positional journey and how that changed...

James: I started off as a forward, and then eventually moved to wide positions, left side, right wing, and later to midfield, and then eventually at right-back, and I hated it at that period.

The presenter: Why did you hate it?

Reece: Since I always wanted to occupy central positions. There was less involvement with the ball as frequently but eventually everything fell into place and I became a right-back since.

Kelly: You said you started as an attacker - who was your idol?

Reece: My idol was [Didier] Drogba. I was a Chelsea fan during youth and he represented the athlete I looked up to.

Kelly: Identify a pivotal moment in your career - a moment that has shaped you and the player you have evolved into?

The defender: I'd likely identify the loan spell. Bridging the gap between youth and first-team football is most challenging and this represents probably what most players transitioning upwards find challenging.

The presenter: You're referring to the club, naturally. What made was Wigan the right club for you at the time? It was distant from all you knew in the capital - what made it successful so well?

James: The primary factor is that I featured consistently, which proves beneficial. I gained valuable exposure - I relocated from my friends and relatives and had to grow up quickly. Participating on a regular schedule assisted significantly.

Kelly: Who has had the biggest impact on your career?

The athlete: I would say [Brazil defender] the veteran. He's almost old enough to be my father and has competed at elite standard for many years. He always tried to help me from the minute he arrived and continues to, even now he is departed [having left Chelsea in that year].

The host: How specifically would he help you?

James: These were little messages away from games. During matches, he occasionally see things that I perceived alternatively and try and paint a different picture.

The presenter: It was undoubtedly nice to meet him this summer [during the tournament]?

The defender: It was wonderful to reconnect with him. I'm pleased that his club performed admirably in the competition [they lost in the penultimate round to eventual winners his team]. It is always good to encounter him.

The interviewer: Were you able to go back and replay one match in your professional history, what would you choose?

Reece: Assuming the result is going to be the same - it would be the Champions League [final].

Kelly: Other than winning, what made it exceptional about that night