Fashion Passion, Looking Up To Didier Drogba & Bond with Hamilton

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This Sports Conversation represents an innovative program in which prominent figures from sports and entertainment join host the interviewer for candid and detailed dialogues about the beautiful game.

We'll explore mindset and drive, covering pivotal experiences, career highlights and individual insights. The Football Interview reveals the individual beyond the player.

Reece James began training with Chelsea at six years old and - after developing through the academy and into the senior squad - is now team leader.

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

Currently twenty-five, James' career highlights so far include earning his England debut against Wales in the year 2020, claiming the European Cup with Chelsea in 2021, and being named team skipper in 2023.

However, his journey hasn't been without challenges, with multiple fitness issues affecting him over the past four seasons.

The athlete spoke with Kelly Somers to discuss his career highs, the Brazilian's impact, and his relationship with multiple Formula One title winner the racing driver.

The interviewer: Initial inquiry: 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 know that area. My coffee is a flat white.

The host: Was it consistently a that particular coffee?

Reece: No, it started with, like, vanilla lattes and stuff.

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

The defender: Essentially, from childhood, it's kind of my entire focus in education. I wasn't exactly the most academic student, and I simply adored playing football.

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

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

The host: It was significant in your family, correct, because your father was so heavily involved? He's a football coach too, isn't he? Tell me a little about that.

Reece: Well we were three children growing up. We were all football mad, and he obviously was a coach as well, and we used to train a lot with him.

Kelly: Can you recall many of those sessions? Because I learned that as young as the age of four, you practiced outdoors and he conducted drills with you in the back garden.

Reece: Yeah, I remember - the drills started young. Thankfully, they paid off for me and my sibling [Chelsea and England forward his sister].

Kelly: Tell me about your initial club that you played for as a youngster, what was it called, and your memories?

The defender: My recollection is limited, frankly. That was the local team in the area. I believe I was there for about twelve months. From that point that talent spotters noticed me for Chelsea.

The host: You didn't start as a backline player at first, correct? Explain about your role evolution and its development...

James: I started off as a striker, and then eventually moved to wide positions, left side, right wing, and later to central positions, and then eventually at right-back, and I hated it at that period.

Kelly: What caused your dislike for it?

The athlete: Since I always wanted to play midfield. There was less involvement with the ball as much but one day it just clicked and I've been a right-back since.

Kelly: You said you started as an attacker - who was your idol?

Reece: The player I admired was [Didier] Drogba. I was a supporter growing up and he was the athlete I looked up to.

The host: Identify a turning point in your professional life - an experience that has influenced your development and the professional you have become?

Reece: I would probably say the loan spell. Bridging the gap between academy and senior level is the hardest and that is probably what many athletes making the jump find difficult.

The presenter: You're talking about Wigan, of course. Why did Wigan become the ideal team for you at the time? The location was miles away from everything you knew in the capital - what made it successful so well?

Reece: The first thing is that I featured week in week out, which helps. I gained a lot of experiences - I moved away from my companions and relatives and had to grow up fast. Playing on a consistent basis helped significantly.

Kelly: Which individual exerted the greatest influence on your career?

Reece: I would say [Brazil defender] Thiago Silva. He is almost old enough to be my dad and has played at elite standard for so long. He consistently attempted to help me from the minute he joined and still does, presently he is departed [having left Chelsea in that year].

The host: In what way would he help you?

James: These were little messages off the pitch. During matches, he would sometimes see things that I saw differently and attempt and offer alternative perspectives.

The presenter: It must have been nice to see him this summer [at the Club World Cup]?

The defender: It proved great to reconnect with him. I'm pleased that his team did well in the competition [they lost in the semi-finals to the champions his team]. It is consistently positive to see him.

Kelly: Were you able to go back and replay a single game in your career, which would you pick?

James: If the outcome is remains the identical - I'd select the European Cup decider.

Kelly: Other than victory, what was so special about the occasion