Style Obsession, Idolizing Didier Drogba & Bond with Lewis Hamilton

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This Sports Conversation constitutes a new series where prominent figures from athletics and entertainment participate with host the interviewer for candid and detailed dialogues about football.

The program examines mental approach and motivation, discussing defining moments, career highlights and individual insights. This series reveals the individual beyond the athlete.

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

The defender introduced himself to Chelsea supporters in style, netting on his debut in a comprehensive win over Grimsby Town in 2019.

Now 25, his professional achievements so far include making his international bow against the Welsh team in 2020, claiming the Champions League with his club in 2021, and being named team skipper in 2023.

Nevertheless, his journey hasn't been without challenges, with a series of injuries affecting him over the past four seasons.

The athlete spoke with the interviewer to discuss his professional peaks, Thiago Silva's influence, and his friendship with multiple Formula One title winner the racing driver.

The interviewer: Initial inquiry: name, your origins, and what's your coffee order?

Reece James: I am Reece James, I was raised in the area, near Richmond - I expect more people will recognize that location. My beverage is a flat white.

Kelly: Was it consistently a flat white?

James: No, I began with, like, vanilla lattes and similar drinks.

Kelly: Let's start by talking football. What does football mean to you?

Reece: I mean, from childhood, it's kind of all I knew in education. I wasn't exactly the most academic student, and I just loved playing football.

Kelly: What's your earliest memory of playing? Is this difficult to answer because it was such a big part of your early years and development?

James: Not particularly, simply due to my memory is so bad. My earliest memory was likely, I don't know, going to watch my brother compete. He is two years older than me, and he used to play as well.

The host: It was significant in your family, wasn't it, because your dad was deeply engaged? He is a football coach too, right? Tell me a little about that.

The athlete: Well there was three children during childhood. It was all football mad, and he obviously was a coach as well, and we frequently practiced extensively with him.

The presenter: Can you recall many of those training periods? Because I read that starting from the age of four, you practiced outdoors and he was doing exercises with you in the yard.

Reece: Yeah, I recall - the drills began early. Fortunately, they proved beneficial for me and my sister [Chelsea and England attacker Lauren James].

The interviewer: Tell me about your first ever team that you played for as a youngster, what was it called, and your memories?

Reece: My recollection is limited, to be honest. That was Kew Park Rangers in the area. I believe I played for about a year. It was from there that talent spotters noticed me for the professional club.

The host: And you weren't a backline player at first, were you? Explain about your role evolution and its development...

James: I started off as a forward, and then eventually moved to wide positions, left side, right wing, and eventually to midfield, and then finally at defensive role, and I disliked it at the time.

The presenter: What caused your dislike for it?

The athlete: Because I always wanted to play midfield. You didn't touch the ball as frequently but eventually everything fell into place and I became a right-back since.

Kelly: You mentioned you began as a forward - who was your idol?

Reece: My idol was [the legendary] Drogba. I grew up as a Chelsea fan during youth and he was the athlete I admired.

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

The defender: I would probably say the loan spell. Transitioning between academy and senior level is most challenging and this represents likely what most players making the jump find difficult.

Kelly: You're referring to the club, naturally. What made did Wigan become the ideal team for you at the time? It was distant from everything you were familiar with in London - why did it work so effectively?

Reece: The first thing is that I played week in week out, which proves beneficial. I gained valuable exposure - I relocated from my friends and relatives and had to mature quickly. Playing on a consistent basis helped a lot.

Kelly: Who has had the greatest influence on your career?

Reece: I'd identify [the experienced Brazilian] Thiago Silva. He's nearly sufficiently experienced to be my father and has played at the highest level for many years. He always tried to help me from the moment he arrived and continues to, presently he is departed [having left Chelsea in 2024].

The host: How specifically would he help you?

James: It was little messages away from games. During matches, he would sometimes observe situations that I perceived differently and try and offer alternative perspectives.

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

Reece: It was great to reconnect with him. I'm happy that his club performed admirably in the tournament [they were defeated in the penultimate round to eventual winners Chelsea]. It's consistently positive to encounter him.

The interviewer: If you could go back 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 Champions League [final].

Kelly: Besides victory, what was so special about the occasion