With the World Cup well underway and England in the midst of an ACL-induced injury crisis, leaving Beth Mead out of the competition, many are looking to rising star striker Lauren James to change the game and bring success home.

James, 21 – who made her England debut in 2022 – emerged onto the pitch just over halfway through the Lionesses’ first World Cup game against Haiti – proving footballing prowess runs in the family. Her career started at Arsenal, before heading to Manchester United and then finally ending up at Chelsea, alongside her brother Reece James.

With a coach for a father, football runs in their blood.

“I grew up in a family of football, so a lot of my childhood was based around just getting a ball and playing,” says James.

“When it comes to football, my dad was a really important person and coach for me. He was consistently telling me what to work on and demanded the best from me, which he still does to this day.”

She and her brother’s footballing childhood was centred around ambition and hard work.

“My parents instilled in me a drive to constantly improve. [They taught us] not to worry about what other people were doing, but to make sure we focused on ourselves. That’s helped us be competitive in what we do.”

She remains close with her family, particularly now she is at Chelsea, as she grew up in London.

“They’re a big part of my support network and in their own way, they’ve all been inspirations in my footballing journey.

“Enjoying where we’ve got to in football is important, but it’s also important to enjoy time with them outside of football. We’re there for each other and always supportive. Being away from them in Manchester during Covid was tough, and moving back to Chelsea and being closer to them was a big thing for me. It’s helped me be more confident in my game, and more confident in myself,” she says.

Role models

While her family have inspired her, they have also made her wary to seek inspiration elsewhere.

“When it came to role models, we were told not to worry so much about others, but rather focus on ourselves and try to keep improving,” she explains.

However, James herself has now become a role model to many young players on the global stage, something which may not have happened when she was growing up, due to a lack of public interest.

“The growth in the women’s game has been great. I always enjoy meeting young girls and boys at the games, and seeing how excited they are about where the game is going.

“My main message is just to keep enjoying it – whether that’s playing the game or just enjoying watching it – and I’ll try to keep inspiring them too,” she says.

Staying grounded

With the sudden influx of interest in the game following the Euros, and all eyes on James to continue that success, keeping physically and mentally well is vital.

“As my career has progressed, I’ve learned to listen to my body – when to push it and when to pull back. Staying strong is a main focus of mine, and rest and recovery are a big part of that,” she explains.

“Massages and ice baths are two important methods of recovery for me, and with so many games, simply getting rest and using off days to relax are also key.”

She has become known as one of the most fashion forward players on the England side, and her style is where her individuality and taste seem to really shine through.

“I like brighter colours now, more than I used to – I used to just keep it simple,” she explains. “There aren’t necessarily specific brands or designers that I like. If I like it, I like it. I just like being different – having stuff that not everyone’s got.”

Lauren is working with the financial education app, GoHenry, as part of its work to empower kids and teens with the money skills needed to achieve their dreams