Fashion Passion, Idolizing Didier Drogba & Friendship with Lewis Hamilton

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The Football Interview represents a new series where prominent figures from sports and show business participate with host Kelly Somers for candid and comprehensive dialogues about the beautiful game.

The program examines mindset and drive, covering pivotal experiences, career highlights and individual insights. The Football Interview uncovers the person beyond the athlete.

The Chelsea defender started practicing with the London club at the age of six and - having progressed through the academy and into the first team - is now team leader.

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

Now 25, his professional achievements so far include making his England debut against the Welsh team in 2020, claiming the European Cup with Chelsea in 2021, and being appointed team skipper in 2023.

However, things have not always gone smoothly, with a series of injuries impacting him over the past four seasons.

The athlete spoke with Kelly Somers to talk about his professional peaks, Thiago Silva's influence, and his relationship with seven-time F1 world champion the racing driver.

The interviewer: Initial inquiry: identity, where you're from, and what's your coffee order?

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

Kelly: Has it always been a that particular coffee?

James: Not exactly, I began with, like, flavored coffees and stuff.

The presenter: We'll begin by talking football. What does football mean to you?

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

The interviewer: What's your earliest memory of playing? Is this tough to respond to because it was such a big part of your early years and growing up?

Reece: No, just because my memory is quite poor. My first remembrance was likely, unsure, going to watch my brother play. He's 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 dad was so heavily involved? He is a soccer trainer too, right? Share with me a bit about that.

The athlete: Well we were three of us during childhood. We were all football mad, and he naturally was a coach as well, and we frequently practiced a lot with him.

The presenter: Do you remember a lot of those training periods? Since I read that starting from the four years old, you practiced outdoors and he was doing exercises with you in the back garden.

Reece: Yes, I remember - the training began early. Thankfully, they proved beneficial for myself and my sister [the club and national team attacker Lauren James].

The interviewer: Talk to me about your first ever team that you played for as a youngster, its name, and your memories?

Reece: My recollection is limited, to be honest. That was the local team in the area. I believe I was there for about twelve months. From that point that I was scouted for the professional club.

Kelly: And you weren't a backline player at initially, were you? Talk to me about your positional journey and its development...

James: I started off as a forward, and then subsequently transitioned to the wing, left wing, right wing, and eventually to central positions, and then finally at defensive role, and I disliked it at the time.

Kelly: What caused your dislike for it?

Reece: Since I consistently desired to play midfield. There was less involvement with the ball as frequently but one day everything fell into place and I became a defender since.

Kelly: You said you started as a forward - who served as your role model?

Reece: My idol was [Didier] Drogba. I grew up as a supporter growing up and he represented the player I looked up to.

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

Reece: I'd likely identify the loan spell. Transitioning between youth and senior level is the hardest and that is likely what most players transitioning upwards find difficult.

The presenter: You're talking about the club, of course. What made did Wigan become the ideal team for you at that period? It was distant from all you knew in London - what made it successful so well?

James: The first thing is that I played week in week out, which helps. I gained a lot of experiences - I moved away from my friends and relatives and was forced to mature quickly. Playing on a regular schedule assisted significantly.

The interviewer: Who has had the greatest influence on your career?

The athlete: I'd identify [the experienced Brazilian] the veteran. He is nearly sufficiently experienced to be my father and has competed at the highest level for many years. He consistently attempted to help me from the moment he joined and still does, presently he is departed [having left Chelsea in that year].

Kelly: How specifically would he help you?

Reece: These were small pieces of advice off the pitch. During matches, he occasionally observe situations that I perceived differently and attempt and offer alternative perspectives.

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

Reece: It proved great to see him again. I'm happy that his club performed admirably in the competition [they lost in the penultimate round to the champions Chelsea]. It's always good to see him.

The interviewer: If you could return and replay a single game in your professional history, which would you pick?

James: Assuming the result is going to be the identical - I'd select the Champions League [final].

Kelly: Besides victory, what made it exceptional about the occasion