Fashion Passion, Idolizing Didier Drogba & Friendship with Hamilton

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The Football Interview represents a new series in which leading personalities from sports and entertainment participate with presenter Kelly Somers for frank and detailed dialogues about the beautiful game.

We'll explore mental approach and drive, discussing pivotal experiences, career highlights and individual insights. This series uncovers the person beyond the athlete.

The Chelsea defender started training with the London club at six years old and - having progressed through the academy and into the senior squad - is now club captain.

The defender introduced himself to the Stamford Bridge faithful in impressive fashion, netting on his first appearance in a comprehensive win over the opposition in September 2019.

Currently twenty-five, James' career highlights so far include earning his international bow against the Welsh team in the year 2020, winning the Champions League with Chelsea in 2021, and being appointed team skipper in 2023.

Nevertheless, things have not always gone smoothly, with a series of injuries affecting him over recent years.

James sat down with Kelly Somers to talk about his career highs, Thiago Silva's influence, and his relationship with multiple Formula One title winner Lewis Hamilton.

The interviewer: First question: identity, your origins, and what's your coffee order?

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

Kelly: Was it consistently a flat white?

James: No, I began with, such as, vanilla lattes and similar drinks.

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

Reece: I mean, from a little kid, it's kind of my entire focus in school. I wasn't exactly the brightest kid, and I simply adored the sport.

Kelly: What's your earliest memory of participating? Is this difficult to respond to because it represented a big part of your early years and growing up?

James: No, simply due to my memory is quite poor. My earliest memory was likely, I don't know, going to watch my sibling compete. He is my senior by two years than me, and he used to play as well.

Kelly: It was big in your family, wasn't it, because your dad was so heavily involved? He's a football coach too, right? Share with me a little about that.

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

Kelly: Do you remember many of those training periods? Because 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 paid off for me and my sibling [the club and national team attacker his sister].

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

The defender: I don't remember much, frankly. That was the local team in Kew. I think I played for about a year. It was from there that talent spotters noticed me for the professional club.

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

Reece: I began as a forward, and then subsequently transitioned to wide positions, left side, right wing, and eventually to midfield, and then eventually at defensive role, and I hated it at that period.

The presenter: Why did you hate it?

The athlete: Because I consistently desired to play midfield. There was less involvement with the football as frequently but eventually everything fell into place and I became a right-back since.

The interviewer: You mentioned you began as an attacker - who served as your role model?

Reece: The player I admired was [Didier] Drogba. I grew up as a supporter growing up and he was the player I admired.

The host: Can you think of a turning point in your career - an experience that has shaped you and the player you have evolved into?

Reece: I would probably say going on loan. Transitioning between youth and senior level is the hardest and that is likely what most players making the jump find difficult.

Kelly: You're talking about Wigan, of course. Why did Wigan become the right club for you at that period? It was distant from everything you knew in London - why did it work so effectively?

James: The first thing is that I featured consistently, which proves beneficial. I gained a lot of experiences - I relocated from my friends and relatives and was forced to grow up quickly. Playing on a consistent basis helped significantly.

Kelly: Which individual exerted the biggest impact on your career?

The athlete: I would say [Brazil defender] Thiago Silva. He is nearly old enough to be my father and has played at elite standard for many years. He consistently attempted to assist me from the moment he joined and continues to, even now he is departed [having left Chelsea in that year].

Kelly: How specifically would he help you?

James: It was small pieces of advice off the pitch. On the pitch, he would sometimes see things that I perceived differently and try and paint a different picture.

The presenter: It must have been nice to meet him this summer [during the tournament]?

The defender: It was wonderful to see him again. I'm pleased that his club did well in the competition [they were defeated in the penultimate round to eventual winners his team]. It's always good to encounter him.

Kelly: Were you able to go back and experience again one match in your professional history, what would you choose?

James: Assuming the result is going to be the identical - it would be the European Cup decider.

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