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Chelsea’s Lauren James announces herself globally at World Cup

By Caden Charpentier

Lauren James of England celebrates scoring with team mate Ella Toone during the FIFA Women's World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023 Group D match between England and Denmark at Sydney Football Stadium on July 28, 2023 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Joe Prior/Visionhaus via Getty Images)
Lauren James of England celebrates scoring with team mate Ella Toone during the FIFA Women's World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023 Group D match between England and Denmark at Sydney Football Stadium on July 28, 2023 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Joe Prior/Visionhaus via Getty Images) /
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After not getting the start in the opening match of the 2023 Women’s World Cup, Chelsea Women’s Lauren James led England to a narrow win over Denmark.

21 years old. In front of the entire world. Lauren James showed no signs of youth in her first start on the biggest stage in women’s football. Before the competition, James stated that she wanted to make “carve out her own path” instead of being known as the sister to one of the Chelsea men’s stars. A few weeks into the tournament, she did just that. Sarina Wiegman and the England national team have begun the tournament with two wins because of No. 7 on the left wing.

It only took six minutes into her first start in the competition to score what very well could be the goal of the tournament from outside the box. She became the first player from Emma Hayes’ side to ripple the back of the net so far during this World Cup. It should come no surprise to anyone including English national team fans who saw James lifted the Player of the Tournament at the Arnold Clark Cup just a few months ago. This is a completely different stage. That did not phase her whatsoever.

She swung her right boot through the ball, giving Lene Christensen no chance between the posts. The Blues’ No. 10 received the ball inside a box of Danish defenders, and with three defenders collapsing to block her shot, James spectacularly curled it around them. What she can do in tight spaces, few in the entire world on the Men’s or Women’s side is capable of accomplishing.

Everything she did and has done during her emergence in west London and internationally looks effortless. Not only did she put the deserve goal in the back of the net, James found a way to slot all of her shots on target while completing four of her five take on attempts against the No. 13th ranked team according to FIFA. Arsenal’s Leah Williamson called James a “cheat code” during the Arnold Clark Cup. That could not be more of the truth.

Chelsea Women’s Lauren James is England’s most important player now with Keira Walsh being stretchered off the pitch against Denmark

The team may be without Keira Walsh for the rest of the tournament, but that does not change the fact that one of the best young talents in the women’s game will be darting down a flank for England. Defenders are constantly on their heels with James on the ball. In just two matches, James has only failed to complete one of her attempted dribbles.

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Five months ago she scored her first senior international goal, now the forward is dazzling in front of a global audience. James and USWNT’s Emily Fox are the only two players with a successful take-on percentage of over 85 percent with seven or more attempts during this competition so far. Her rise is quite remarkable, but this is only the beginning of this west London superstar. Stay tuned for more Women’s World Cup coverage of the Chelsea Women here at the PoL.

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