Lauren James: England's next breakout star?
England and Chelsea forward, Lauren James, are having quite the year on the field. Not only is the 21-year-old thriving for her club, but she is also carving a space for herself on the international scene. Could James be England's next breakout star?
Football
There are some players that just look as though they are born to play football, and Lauren James sits comfortably in that category.
Whether it be for club or country, the ball acts as a companion as opposed to an object when she’s in possession.
The way James moves, or more aptly, glides with the ball at her feet makes it near impossible to remove it from her grasp – opposition players are more likely to give away a free-kick than they are to dispossess her.
At just 21-years-old, the Chelsea forward is regarded as a player with the potential to become the best player in the world, and we’ve seen glimpses of that.
Currently taking part in the Arnold Clark Cup with England, the youngster is carving out her own space in a squad stacked with talent, so much so that she’s earned the recognition of her international captain, Leah Williamson.
"I think she's a cheat code," Williamson told BBC Sport. "I enjoy being on the same team as her. The girl is incredible."
James herself believes she has been given the ‘freedom’ to flourish by Lionesses head coach, Sarina Wiegman. But she is also eager to credit her ‘welcoming’ teammates, who have given her the room to be herself and show as much on the pitch.
As England builds towards the Women’s World Cup in the wake of their triumphant European Championship win, could James be an important playmaker in Wiegman’s plot to bring home the world’s most coveted trophy?
Lauren James’ rise to the top
With the talent James possesses, there’s no wonder she has had the pick of the bunch when it comes to domestic clubs.
After spending time in the Chelsea academy, she moved on to Arsenal where – on her 16th birthday – she made her debut for the club, becoming the second youngest in the Gunners’ history to do so.
But not long after, much to the reluctance of the North London club and after an in-depth conversation with Casey Stoney, James made the move to Manchester United. The Red Devils made the decision to re-launch their women’s team in 2018 and, despite a step down to the Championship, the 21-year-old was set on the move.
Unsurprisingly, she took to life in Manchester with ease and finished her first season with 14 goals in 18 games, helping the Reds win the title and earn promotion. Despite two seasons in the Women’s Super League with Stoney’s side not going completely to plan – injuries playing their part – clubs still came knocking.
It was the call of her home club that James answered, returning to Chelsea to settle the unfinished business from her time at the academy. This season, however, has been the breakout campaign she has longed for with six goal contributions in 10 league appearances so far, and the promise of more to come.
Her scintillating form left Wiegman no choice but to give James a well-deserved call-up to the national team, and now she looks destined for greatness at the highest level.
Lauren James: England’s next superstar?
The Lionesses have already secured their spot at the 2023 Women’s World Cup, scheduled to take place between July and August this summer, and James could very well be in with an opportunity of making that squad.
When England won the Euros last summer, the name in the headlines was Beth Mead, with the Arsenal forward playing an integral role in their road to glory.
But in late 2022, Mead suffered an ACL injury – an injury of such severity means being ready for the World Cup could be out of reach, thought it is yet to be determined.
And while Wiegman would no doubt rather have a full strength roster to pick from, the emergence of James will be welcomed in the absence of one of her key players.
Her recent outing at the Arnold Clark Cup in a 4-0 thumping over the Republic of Korea displayed the magic she possesses at her feet, and despite being just 21, she has demonstrated for club and country that she is ready for any level.
The Blues forward has said herself she is a ‘confident’ player, and while Wiegman often turned to Ella Toone and Alessia Russo at the Euros to make a difference from the bench, James could be the Dutchwoman’s next ‘secret weapon’ in their bid for World glory.