Fashion Passion, Idolizing Didier Drogba & Bond with Hamilton

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The Football Interview constitutes a new series where leading personalities from athletics and entertainment participate with host Kelly Somers for candid and detailed discussions about football.

We'll explore mindset and motivation, covering pivotal experiences, career highlights and individual insights. This series uncovers the individual behind the player.

Reece James started practicing with the London club at the age of six and - after developing through the youth system and into the first team - is now club captain.

The defender introduced himself to the Stamford Bridge faithful in impressive fashion, netting on his first appearance in a 7-1 victory over the opposition in September 2019.

Currently twenty-five, James' career highlights to date include making his international bow against the Welsh team in the year 2020, winning the Champions League with Chelsea in 2021, and being named team skipper in 2023.

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

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

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

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 flat white.

Kelly: Has it always been a that particular coffee?

James: Not exactly, it started with, such as, flavored coffees and stuff.

The presenter: Let's start by discussing soccer. What does football mean to you?

Reece: I mean, from childhood, it was practically my entire focus in education. I wasn't the brightest kid, and I just loved playing football.

Kelly: Your first recollection of participating? Is this difficult to respond to because it represented a significant aspect of your early years and development?

Reece: Not particularly, just because my recollection is quite poor. My first remembrance was probably, unsure, attending matches of my brother play. He's my senior by two years than me, and he also participated as well.

Kelly: It was significant in your family, wasn't it, because your father was deeply engaged? He is a soccer trainer too, right? Tell me a little about that.

The athlete: So there was three children growing up. It was completely soccer-obsessed, and he naturally was a coach as well, and we frequently practiced extensively with him.

The presenter: Can you recall a lot of those training periods? Since I learned that as young as the age of four, you practiced outdoors and he was doing drills with you in the back garden.

James: Yes, I recall - the drills began early. Thankfully, they paid off for myself and my sister [Chelsea and England attacker his sister].

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

The defender: I don't remember much, to be honest. That was the local team in the area. I believe I was there for about a year. It was from there that talent spotters noticed me for Chelsea.

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

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

Kelly: What caused your dislike for it?

The athlete: Because I always wanted to play midfield. There was less involvement with the ball as much but eventually everything fell into place and I've been a right-back since.

Kelly: You mentioned 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.

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

The defender: I'd likely identify going on loan. Transitioning between academy and senior level is most challenging and that is probably what most players transitioning upwards find difficult.

Kelly: You're talking about the club, of course. What made did Wigan become the right club for you at the time? The location was distant from all you were familiar with in London - why did it work so effectively?

Reece: The first thing is that I featured week in week out, which helps. I gained a lot of experiences - I relocated from my friends and relatives and was forced to grow up fast. Playing on a consistent basis assisted significantly.

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

Reece: I'd identify [Brazil defender] the veteran. He's nearly old enough to be my dad and has competed at elite standard for many years. He always tried to help me from the minute he joined and still does, even now he is departed [having left Chelsea in 2024].

The host: How specifically would he help you?

Reece: These were little messages off the pitch. During matches, he would sometimes observe situations that I saw alternatively and attempt and paint a different picture.

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

The defender: It proved great to reconnect with him. I'm pleased that his team performed admirably in the tournament [they lost in the semi-finals to eventual winners Chelsea]. It's consistently positive to encounter him.

Kelly: If you could return and replay one match in your career, what would you choose?

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

The host: Other than winning, what was so special about that night