Style Obsession, Idolizing Drogba & Bond with Lewis Hamilton
- Released
The Football Interview represents a new series in which prominent figures from sports and show business participate with host Kelly Somers for candid and detailed discussions about football.
We'll explore mental approach and motivation, discussing defining moments, career highlights and personal reflections. This series uncovers the individual behind the player.
The Chelsea defender started practicing with Chelsea at six years old and - having progressed through the youth system and into the senior squad - is now team leader.
The defender introduced himself to Chelsea supporters in impressive fashion, scoring on his first appearance in a comprehensive win over the opposition in 2019.
Now 25, his professional achievements to date include making his international bow against the Welsh team in 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 impacting him over recent years.
James sat down with the interviewer to talk about his professional peaks, the Brazilian's impact, and his relationship with seven-time F1 world champion the racing driver.
'He's nearly old enough to be my dad' - Reece James reveals the veteran's influence on his professional journey
The interviewer: First question: name, your origins, and your preferred coffee?
Reece James: The name is Reece James, I was raised in Mortlake, near Richmond - I'm sure more people will recognize that area. My beverage is a flat white.
The host: Was it consistently a that particular coffee?
James: No, I began with, like, flavored coffees and similar drinks.
Kelly: We'll begin by discussing soccer. What significance does soccer hold to you?
The defender: I mean, from childhood, it was practically all I knew in school. I wasn't exactly the most academic student, and I just loved the sport.
Kelly: Your first recollection of playing? Is this difficult to answer because it was such a significant aspect of your childhood and growing up?
James: Not particularly, just because my recollection is so bad. My first remembrance was likely, unsure, attending matches of my sibling play. He's two years older than me, and he used to play as well.
Kelly: It was big in your family, wasn't it, because your father was so heavily involved? He's a soccer trainer too, isn't he? Share with me a little about that.
Reece: Well there was three children growing up. We were all football mad, and he obviously was a trainer 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 were outside and he was doing exercises with you in the back garden.
Reece: Yeah, I recall - the training started young. Thankfully, they paid off for myself and my sibling [Chelsea and national team attacker his sister].
Kelly: Talk to me about your initial club that you represented as a youngster, its name, and your memories?
Reece: My recollection is limited, to be honest. It was the local team in the area. I think I was there for about a year. From that point that I was scouted for the professional club.
The host: You didn't start as a defender at first, were you? Explain about your role evolution and how that changed...
Reece: I began as a striker, and then eventually transitioned to the wing, left wing, right side, and eventually to midfield, and then finally at defensive role, and I hated it at that period.
The presenter: What caused your dislike for it?
The athlete: Since I consistently desired to occupy central positions. You didn't touch the football as frequently but one day it just clicked and I've been a defender since.
The defender claimed the Champions League in 2021 when his team defeated Manchester City by one goal in the final in Porto
The interviewer: You mentioned you began 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 represented the player I admired.
Kelly: Identify a pivotal moment in your professional life - an experience that has influenced your development and the player you have become?
The defender: I'd likely identify going on loan. Transitioning between youth and first-team football is the hardest and this represents probably what many athletes making the jump find challenging.
The presenter: You're referring to the club, naturally. Why did Wigan become the ideal team for you at that period? The location was miles away from all you knew in London - what made it successful so effectively?
Reece: The first thing is that I played consistently, which helps. I acquired a lot of experiences - I relocated from my companions and relatives and had to mature quickly. Playing on a consistent basis assisted a lot.
The interviewer: Which individual exerted the greatest influence on your career?
The athlete: I would say [Brazil defender] Thiago Silva. He is almost old enough to be my dad and has played at elite standard for many years. He always tried to assist me from the minute he joined and continues to, presently he is departed [after leaving the club in that year].
The host: In what way would he help you?
Reece: It was small pieces of advice off the pitch. On the pitch, he would sometimes see things that I saw differently and attempt and paint a different picture.
The presenter: It was undoubtedly pleasant to meet him this summer [during the tournament]?
The defender: It was great to see him again. I'm happy that his club did well in the competition [they lost in the penultimate round to eventual winners his team]. It's always good to encounter him.
The interviewer: Were you able to return and experience again one match in your career, which would you pick?
James: Assuming the result is going to be the identical - I'd select the European Cup decider.
The host: Other than victory, what was so special about the occasion
