Fashion Passion, Idolizing Drogba & Friendship with Lewis Hamilton

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The Football Interview constitutes an innovative program where prominent figures from sports and entertainment participate with presenter the interviewer for frank and comprehensive dialogues about football.

The program examines mindset and motivation, covering pivotal experiences, career highlights and personal reflections. The Football Interview reveals the person beyond the athlete.

The Chelsea defender started practicing with the London club at the age of six and - after developing through the academy and into the first team - is now club captain.

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

Now 25, his professional achievements to date include earning his international bow against Wales in 2020, claiming the Champions League with his club in 2021, and being named club captain in 2023.

Nevertheless, his journey hasn't been without challenges, with multiple fitness issues affecting him over recent years.

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.

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

Reece James: The name is Reece James, I was raised in the area, near Richmond - I'm sure more people will know that area. My coffee is a specific coffee type.

Kelly: Has it always been a that particular coffee?

Reece: No, I began with, like, flavored coffees and similar drinks.

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

Reece: Essentially, from a little kid, it's kind of my entire focus in education. I wasn't exactly the brightest kid, and I just loved the sport.

Kelly: Your first recollection of playing? Is this difficult to respond to because it represented a big part of your early years and development?

Reece: Not particularly, simply due to my recollection is quite poor. My earliest memory was probably, I don't know, going to watch my sibling play. 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 dad was so heavily involved? He's a football coach too, right? Share with me a little about that.

The athlete: Well we were three children during childhood. We were all football mad, and he naturally was a trainer as well, and we used to train a lot with him.

The presenter: Can you recall many of those sessions? Since I read that starting from the four years old, you practiced outdoors and he was doing drills with you in the back garden.

Reece: Yes, I recall - the drills started young. Thankfully, they proved beneficial for myself and my sister [Chelsea and national team attacker Lauren James].

Kelly: Talk to me about your first ever team that you represented as a child, its name, and what can you remember?

The defender: My recollection is limited, frankly. 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 Chelsea.

The host: You didn't start as a backline player at initially, correct? Explain about your positional journey and how that changed...

Reece: I began as a forward, and then subsequently moved to the wing, left wing, right wing, and eventually to midfield, and then eventually at right-back, and I hated it at that period.

The presenter: Why did you hate it?

Reece: Since I always wanted to play midfield. You didn't touch the ball as frequently but eventually it just clicked and I became a right-back since.

Kelly: You mentioned you started as an attacker - who was your role model?

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

The host: Can you think of a turning point in your career - a moment that has influenced your development and the player you have evolved into?

The defender: I'd likely identify the loan spell. Transitioning between academy and first-team football is the hardest and that is likely what most players transitioning upwards find difficult.

Kelly: You're talking about the club, of course. What made did Wigan become the ideal team for you at the time? The location was miles away from all you were familiar with in the capital - what made it successful so effectively?

James: The first thing is that I played consistently, which helps. I acquired valuable exposure - I relocated from my friends and relatives and had to mature fast. Participating on a consistent basis helped a lot.

Kelly: Who has had the biggest impact on your career?

The athlete: I would say [Brazil defender] the veteran. He is almost sufficiently experienced to be my dad and has competed at the highest level for many years. He consistently attempted to help me from the moment he arrived and continues to, even now he is not here [after leaving the club in that year].

The host: In what way would he help you?

James: These were small pieces of advice off the pitch. During matches, he occasionally observe situations that I saw alternatively and try and paint a different picture.

The presenter: It must have been nice to meet him recently [at the Club World Cup]?

The defender: It proved great to reconnect with him. I'm happy that his club did well in the competition [they lost in the semi-finals to eventual winners Chelsea]. It's consistently positive to see him.

Kelly: If you could go back and experience again one match in your career, what would you choose?

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

The host: Besides victory, what was so special about that night