Fashion Passion, Idolizing Drogba & Friendship with Lewis Hamilton

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The Football Interview represents an innovative program where leading personalities from sports and entertainment participate with host Kelly Somers for candid and detailed dialogues about football.

We'll explore mental approach and motivation, covering pivotal experiences, professional achievements and personal reflections. The Football Interview reveals the individual behind the athlete.

Reece James began training with the London club at six years old and - having progressed through the youth system and into the senior squad - is now team leader.

James announced himself to the Stamford Bridge faithful in impressive fashion, scoring on his first appearance in a comprehensive win over Grimsby Town in September 2019.

Now 25, James' career highlights so far include earning his international bow against the Welsh team in the year 2020, claiming the Champions League with his club in 2021, and being named club captain in 2023.

Nevertheless, things have not always gone smoothly, with multiple fitness issues impacting him over recent years.

The athlete spoke with the interviewer to talk about his career highs, Thiago Silva's influence, and his friendship with seven-time F1 world champion Lewis Hamilton.

Kelly Somers: First question: identity, your origins, and your preferred coffee?

The athlete: The name is Reece James, I grew up in Mortlake, near Richmond - I expect many will recognize that location. My coffee is a flat white.

Kelly: Was it consistently a flat white?

Reece: No, it started with, such as, flavored coffees and stuff.

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

Reece: I mean, from a little kid, it's kind of all I knew in education. I wasn't exactly the most academic student, and I simply adored the sport.

The interviewer: Your first recollection of participating? Is this difficult to answer because it represented a significant aspect of your childhood and growing up?

James: Not particularly, just because my memory is so bad. My earliest memory was likely, unsure, attending matches of my brother compete. He is my senior by two years than me, and he also participated as well.

Kelly: It was significant in your household, wasn't it, because your father was deeply engaged? He is a football coach too, isn't he? Share with me a little about that.

Reece: So there was three children growing up. It was completely soccer-obsessed, and he obviously was a trainer as well, and we frequently practiced extensively with him.

Kelly: Do you remember many of those sessions? Since I learned that starting from the age of four, you practiced outdoors and he was doing exercises with you in the yard.

Reece: Yes, I recall - the training began early. Fortunately, they paid off for me and my sibling [Chelsea and England attacker his sister].

Kelly: Tell me about your initial club that you played for as a child, its name, and what can you remember?

Reece: I don't remember much, to be honest. It was the local team in Kew. I think I was there for about a year. From that point that talent spotters noticed me for Chelsea.

The host: You didn't start as a defender at initially, correct? Explain about your role evolution and its development...

James: I started off as a forward, and then eventually transitioned to wide positions, left wing, right wing, and later to central positions, and then finally at defensive role, and I disliked it at that period.

Kelly: What caused your dislike for it?

Reece: Because I consistently desired to occupy central positions. There was less involvement with the ball as much but one day it just clicked and I've been a defender since.

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

Reece: The player I admired was [Didier] Drogba. I was a supporter during youth and he was the player I looked up to.

Kelly: Identify a pivotal moment in your professional life - an experience that has influenced your development and the professional you have become?

The defender: I'd likely identify the loan spell. Transitioning between academy and senior level is most challenging and this represents probably what most players making the jump find challenging.

Kelly: You're referring to Wigan, of course. What made was Wigan the right club for you at the time? The location was miles away from all you knew in London - why did it work so well?

Reece: The first thing is that I featured week in week out, which proves beneficial. I gained a lot of experiences - I moved away from my friends and relatives and was forced to mature fast. Participating on a consistent basis helped a lot.

The interviewer: Who has had the biggest impact on your professional journey?

The athlete: I'd identify [Brazil defender] Thiago Silva. He's nearly sufficiently experienced to be my father and has competed at elite standard for so long. He consistently attempted to assist me from the minute he joined and continues to, presently he is not here [after leaving the club in 2024].

Kelly: In what way would he assist you?

James: These were small pieces of advice away from games. During matches, he occasionally see things that I saw differently and attempt and paint a different picture.

The presenter: It must have been pleasant to meet him recently [at the Club World Cup]?

The defender: It was great to reconnect with him. I'm happy that his club performed admirably in the competition [they were defeated in the penultimate round to the champions Chelsea]. It is always good to encounter him.

The interviewer: Were you able to go back and experience again a single game in your professional history, which would you pick?

James: If the outcome is remains the identical - I'd select the European Cup decider.

The host: Besides victory, what made it exceptional about the occasion