‘How many siblings play elite f And brother to play for England – and now they are united in tackling online abuse, writes ootball? We’re living a dream’
Lauren and Reece James grew up honing their skills together to become first sister a
“H‘What’s happening with social media and racism is wrong – not many things are
changing’
ow many siblings can say they play professional football?” Lauren James asks, laughing. Manchester United’s teenage striker is reflecting on the extraordinary footballing journey that she and older brother Reece have shared, since first kicking a ball against a fence as kids, to becoming two of English football’s hottest young talents.
Not many, is the answer. In fact, Lauren and Reece – who plays right-back for Chelsea – are the first brother and sister to represent England’s senior football teams. While 21-year-old Reece earned his first cap in a friendly against Wales last October, 19-year-old Lauren followed hot on his heels with a call-up at St George’s Park in November.
The symmetry does not end there. On Dec 5, as Lauren travelled back from her 50th appearance for United – a comfortable 2-0 away win against Aston Villa – 130 miles away, unbeknown to her, Reece was facing Leeds United at home in his 50th club appearance, too.
“We didn’t even know until after,” laughs Lauren. “There are not many siblings, [especially] a boy and girl playing in the highest league. So to get a 50th appearance is massive, but to get it with him, on the same day, was a bit mad.”
Lauren says it was her older brothers, Reece and Joshua (23), who moulded her passion for football as a child. “All I ever knew was football, football and football,” she says. “My brothers got me into football. Whether it was when Josh was at Fulham or when Reece was at the Chelsea academy, I was there kicking the ball against the fence. I’ve always had a football and it has just taken me to where I am now.”
Perhaps that love for the game was inevitable. Lauren and Reece grew up in London, born to an English mother, Emma Neil, who worked for the NHS, and a Grenadian father, Nigel James, who juggled the role of dad and coach as the founder of the Nigel James Elite coaching academy. Nigel had been a defender at Aldershot Town, who had trialled at Southampton, before an ankle injury ended his career. Having three children who all played football meant that Nigel and Emma spent their weekends travelling the country, ferrying them to matches. “I always grew up watching my brother and my dad play,” says Reece. “So I started because my brother played, and then my sister started because I played. It kind of just went down generations, but it all began with my dad.”
“I’d say they both [my brothers] got me into football,” adds Lauren, “they’ve both got tekkers. I’m sure if you ask Reece he would say Josh inspired him because he was older than him, but I had both of them – I followed in their footsteps.”
The mutual respect for each others’ careers is evident. But on the pitch, they couldn’t help but be competitive. “Most of the time, we tried to make sure we’re all on the same team, but we all wanted the limelight,” Reece laughs.
“We are not usually competitive,” says Lauren, before admitting that occasionally she cannot help herself.
“When he got his senior England call-up, it was like,
“Right, he got his, I’ve got to get mine now”. That’s probably the only time and I laugh about it now.”
Well, that and the jokes about trainers.
“I know I’ve got better taste,” she says, while Reece insists otherwise:
“She is into fashion more than me, but
I’d say my style is still better.” The one thing they do agree on?
Music. “Drake and Tory Lanez”, they answer.
“I wouldn’t say there’s competition,” adds Reece, of their football careers. “You know, she is my sister. Our games are the same, our professions are the same, but it’s still different. I play men’s football when she plays women’s football, you can’t compare them.”
Despite being the youngest,
Lauren’s achievements are holding their own with her brother’s. She joined Arsenal at 13 and trained in the boys’ academy before making her move to the senior team aged 15, where she went on to be the second-youngest player in the club’s history – male or female
– to make her senior debut.
In late 2017, she made the move to United, a seismic challenge for the teenager.
She was away from home for the first time, in a new city and at a newly “reformed” women’s team after a 15-year absence from the women’s game. Yet
Lauren thrived. “I actually found settling in quite easy. Everyone was in the same boat because everyone was coming into this new team and with new people around them.”
Lauren’s reputation soared as she scored 14 goals during the club’s maiden Championship campaign to win promotion to the Women’s Super League. The following season she made history by scoring the team’s first-ever toptier goal. She and her team-mates will achieve another milestone this weekend as United play at Old Trafford for the first time.
The thought of gracing the
“Theatre of Dreams” is a rare opportunity for the women’s game, but is of course a regular occurrence for Reece. “I don’t think she’s played at a stadium that big before,” he says. “She just needs to take it as it comes and enjoy the moment, and play with a smile on her face. We are living the dream. We knew we always wanted it, but we never sat down and said this is going to be the perfect journey, or it’s going to be this easy. We just knew we had an end goal.”
At just six years of age, Reece joined Chelsea’s development programme, and progressed through the ranks to sign a four-year professional contract in 2018. Sent out on loan to Wigan Athletic in the Championship, he was instrumental in the club avoiding relegation and was voted their player of the year. Now a regular starter for both Chelsea and England, he has carved his name in the history books by becoming the 100th player of black heritage to play for England, more than 40 years since Viv Anderson became the first.
Both Lauren and Reece are proud of their roots. Sadly, both have also been targeted with online racist abuse, a subject they have chosen to speak out about. “I think sometimes when you can get things off your chest it does make you feel relieved,” says Lauren of the powerful comment piece she wrote for Telegraph Sport last month. Lauren says she felt compelled to use her voice, following an onslaught of abuse.
Since sharing her story, she has been inundated with messages of support, and was even approached in the supermarket by a young woman who thanked her for her courageous stance. “I know I’m focusing on my football and I’m still young,” admits Lauren, “but by talking about it, I’m just trying to help those that feel like they have less opportunity or feel alone.”
“When we both get messages like that, we turn to each other and discuss it,” says Reece. “I think everyone agrees and knows that what’s happening with social media and racism is wrong. Everyone says they want to change, but not many things are changing.”
Both are in agreement that social media companies need to do more, and want to use their platforms to shine a light on injustice. Both are interested in charity work, with Reece having been volunteering with the Felix Project for the past 18 months – a London-based initiative fighting hunger and food waste – while Lauren is joining up with Park SSC’S Pass-a-ball Project, which donates football equipment to those without.
The love of the game consumes them both, but time spent together as a family is a rarity. On the few occasions they do get together, football is off-limits. “We don’t like to talk about football because we live and breathe it every day,” says Lauren. “It’s actually nice to talk about what’s on the TV or Playstation or what shoes are coming out because it helps you to switch off.”
For Lauren, women’s football is at a tipping point. With the BBC and Sky Sports announcing a shared broadcast deal understood to be worth more than £7 million a year, the game is set to receive unprecedented levels of exposure, much to the delight of both siblings. “It’s massive, day by day the WSL is growing,” says Reece,
They credit their family with keeping them grounded. But what does the future hold for England’s first English brother-and-sister duo? They shrug, and say they are focused on more immediate results with their respective teams.
“People do love to connect us, but we are our own people,” says Lauren. “We are chilled, we have fun, and we
just love football”.