“SAY YOU’RE BETTER AGAIN AND I’M TELLING DAD…”
Bobby Charlton and Jack Charlton. Gary Neville and Phil Neville. Nearly anyone can name brothers who have featured for England, but ask them to name a brother and sister who have represented the Three Lions at senior level and they will probably be stumped. In the next few years, don’t be surprised if the answer becomes obvious: Reece James and Lauren James.
Capped by England at junior levels, the pair have been making plenty of waves in their debut top-tier campaigns. Right-back Reece, 20, has broken into Chelsea’s first team after a successful loan spell with Wigan Athletic. Lauren, 18, is shining upfront for Manchester United in the Women’s Super League.
Brought up near Richmond in south-west London, their respective careers mean they are living at opposite ends of the country for the first time this term – but they have been reunited for a FourFourTwo photoshoot at Cobham Sound, a few hundred yards from Chelsea’s training ground.
Snaps sorted, they are ready to chat about their careers to date and dreams of making history in the decade ahead…
FFT: What do you remember about playing football together when you were young?
Reece: Me, my sister and older brother Josh used to play football with a few of our friends. That was where it all started, in Mortlake.
Lauren: Yeah, in a field behind our house. We went there every day and kicked a ball about.
Reece: Most times we would be on the same team, playing against the others – we won most games! We didn’t really play much as just the three of us – although when we did, sometimes it would be me and her against my older brother. He was much bigger and stronger than us at the time…
Lauren: So he’d always win! [Laughs]
Reece: We played in a tournament together for the same team, the Epsom Eagles, when I was maybe eight.
Lauren: Yeah, I was six.
And we won the tournament...
