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

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This Sports Conversation represents an innovative program in which leading personalities from sports and entertainment join presenter the interviewer for candid and detailed discussions about football.

We'll explore mental approach and motivation, discussing pivotal experiences, career highlights and individual insights. The Football Interview reveals the person behind the athlete.

The Chelsea defender began training with Chelsea at the age of six and - after developing through the youth system and into the first team - is now club captain.

James announced himself to the Stamford Bridge faithful in style, scoring on his debut in a comprehensive win over the opposition in September 2019.

Now 25, his professional achievements to date include earning his England debut against the Welsh team in 2020, winning the European Cup with his club in 2021, and being appointed team skipper in 2023.

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

James sat down with the interviewer to discuss his career highs, Thiago Silva's influence, and his friendship with multiple Formula One title winner Lewis Hamilton.

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

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

The host: Was it consistently a that particular coffee?

Reece: Not exactly, I began with, like, vanilla lattes and similar drinks.

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

Reece: I mean, from a little kid, it was practically my entire focus in education. I wasn't exactly the most academic student, and I just loved playing football.

The interviewer: Your first recollection of participating? Is this difficult to answer because it represented a big part of your childhood and development?

James: Not particularly, simply due to my recollection is quite poor. My earliest memory was likely, I don't know, going to watch my sibling compete. He's two years older than me, and he also participated as well.

Kelly: It was significant in your household, wasn't it, because your dad was deeply engaged? He's a soccer trainer too, right? Share with me a bit about that.

The athlete: So we were three of us during childhood. It was all football mad, and he obviously was a coach as well, and we used to train extensively with him.

Kelly: Can you recall a lot of those sessions? Because I read that starting from the four years old, you practiced outdoors and he was doing exercises with you in the back garden.

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

The interviewer: Tell me about your initial club that you represented as a youngster, what was it called, and what can you remember?

Reece: I don't remember much, to be honest. That was the local team in the area. I think I was there for about twelve months. From that point that talent spotters noticed me for the professional club.

Kelly: You didn't start as a defender at first, were you? Talk to me about your role evolution and how that changed...

James: I started off as a forward, and then subsequently transitioned to the wing, left wing, right wing, and later to midfield, and then finally at right-back, and I hated it at the time.

Kelly: Why did you hate it?

Reece: Because I consistently desired to occupy central positions. There was less involvement with the football as frequently but eventually everything fell into place and I've been a right-back since.

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

James: The player I admired was [the legendary] Drogba. I grew up as a Chelsea fan growing up and he was the player I looked up to.

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

The defender: I would probably say going on loan. Transitioning between academy and first-team football is most challenging and that is probably what many athletes making the jump find difficult.

Kelly: You're talking about Wigan, naturally. Why did Wigan become the ideal team for you at the time? It was miles away from all you knew in the capital - what made it successful so well?

Reece: The primary factor is that I featured consistently, which helps. I gained valuable exposure - I relocated from my companions and relatives and had to mature fast. Playing on a consistent basis assisted a lot.

Kelly: Which individual exerted the greatest influence on your professional journey?

Reece: I'd identify [Brazil defender] Thiago Silva. He's almost sufficiently experienced to be my father and has competed at elite standard for so long. He consistently attempted to help me from the moment he arrived and still does, even now he is departed [having left Chelsea in 2024].

The host: In what way would he help you?

Reece: These were small pieces of advice away from games. On the pitch, he would sometimes observe situations that I saw alternatively and attempt and paint a different picture.

Kelly: It was undoubtedly pleasant to meet him recently [at the Club World Cup]?

Reece: It proved wonderful to see him again. I'm pleased that his club performed admirably in the competition [they lost in the penultimate round to the champions Chelsea]. It's consistently positive to see him.

Kelly: Were you able to return and experience again one match in your career, what would you choose?

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

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