Chelsea’s Lauren James puts herself at top of Golden Ball discussion

Chelsea Women’s Lauren James has taken full advantage of her opportunities on the flank for England, leading the way for the 2022 Euro winners.

There is no better story in the world of Chelsea Women right now than what James is doing with the Lionesses at the Women’s World Cup. Many knew she was going to dazzle on the flank of the English attack given her impact at the Arnold Clark Cup, but her display against China was other worldly. James followed up scoring the winner against Denmark with a two goal, three assist performance to lead the defending European champions to the top of Group D. That without question places her among the top candidates for the tournament’s best player, the “Golden Ball”.

When she has the ball at her feet, the entire world is at the edge of its seat just waiting to see what kind of magic she can perform next. Nobody in the tournament has more goal contributions than James as she leads Japan’s Hinata Miyazawa by one after Tuesday’s outing. Her vision to find her teammates in stride in between the defenders in addition to her powerful shots with both feet is simply remarkable. Of the players with over 10 take-on attempts, James and Denmark’s Kathrine Kühl are the only two with a success rate of over 76 percent.

It should be seven goal contributions through three matches if it was not for VAR. The Blues’ No. 10 brilliantly struck the ball into the back of the net three times against the Steel Roses, but one of her left-footed shots in first half stoppage time was ruled out due to an offside call on Lucy Bronze. If that had counted, it would have arguably been considered to be the best of the bunch from James’ goals so far.

Without Keira Walsh, someone needed to step up, and that player for the second successive contest James. It was the right-foot in the first half, and the left in the second 45 minutes. There is little the west Londoner cannot do in the attacking third. This is her at just 21 years old. Emma Hayes has one special player on her hands with the fact that this is just scratching the surface of her full potential.

The last player to win the competition’s best player, USWNT’s Megan Rapinoe mustered only eight goal contributions, just two more than James in 180 more minutes of football. In 2019, Bronze was awarded the Silver Ball, the tournament’s second-best player, but if James accomplishes the feat, she would become the first Englishwomen or man to be voted as the best at a World Cup. The last west Londoner to leave a World Cup as one of the three best players of the tournament was Eden Hazard when he received the Silver Ball in 2018 after his World Cup outing in Russia with Belgium.

Lauren James has to be the top candidate to win the Golden Ball right now at the 2023 Women’s World Cup

More often than not, the Golden Ball is only given to the player on the team that lifted the World Cup. The only expect in the last five years was Marta in 2011 when she led Brazil to the final against Germany. It is not out of the question that James can produce more performances like the one she had against China. Teams are going to bring extra attention to her now, especially England’s knockout stage opponent Nigeria.

Like she has already shown, Sarina Wiegman will free up James by way of set-pieces, allowing her to roam at the top of the penalty area. Not even the offside flag can contain her. England’s No. 7 will always receive another chance, and when given it, she will punish the opponent. So, Chelsea fans, sit back and relax knowing that arguably the best player so far this World Cup signed an extension until the summer of 2027 on June 1.