Exclusive: Reece James on Chelsea journey, finding best form & taking ‘next step’ with England at 2026 World Cup

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Ahead of Chelsea's Premier League trip to Burnley on Saturday, club captain Reece James sat down with TNT Sports for an exclusive interview where he detailed his journey at the club and how he wants to continue winning trophies at Stamford Bridge. The England international also spoke about his ambitions at next year's World Cup and how close he is to finding his best form.

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Chelsea captain Reece James has told TNT Sports that he has far exceeded his footballing dreams by lifting trophies as captain of his boyhood club.

The 25-year-old sat down for an exclusive interview ahead of Chelsea's Premier League clash at Burnley on Saturday, live on TNT Sports and discovery+.

The Blues have the chance to leapfrog Manchester City into second place in the league and sit just three points behind leaders Arsenal, before their north London derby against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.

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Chelsea are unbeaten in their last four matches in all competitions and James has played a key role in the club's encouraging start to the campaign.

The full-back has featured in every Premier League game this season, and he is grateful for his journey at the club so far - from academy graduate to club captain.

"It’s an amazing feeling," James told TNT Sports. "Since I started here at six, it was my dream to play for the first team just once, and to go on and play over 200 times and eventually captain the team.

"There’s other players who have come through the academy into the first team and I try and help them as much as possible. I’ve learnt a lot on the way and I want to pass the lessons down."

It was only last month when James made his 200th appearance for the club and marked the occasion with an assist and a goal in Chelsea's 3-0 victory at Nottingham Forest. It was another wonderful moment in a memorable 2025 for James so far.

The full-back picked up his first trophies as club captain earlier this year by helping the team complete the European set with a 4-1 win over Real Betis in the UEFA Conference League.

Chelsea backed that up with a stunning performance over UEFA Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain last summer to claim the FIFA Club World Cup in the United States.

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Although he has enjoyed previous success with the club, James admits that the feeling of captaining the side makes the experience even more sweet.

"It’s very enjoyable lifting trophies with Chelsea," he explained. "There’s been a few other moments in my Chelsea career where we’ve lifted trophies and I’d put them in the same category.

"It’s what every player wants at the end of the season, to be lifting silverware."

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'The only success for England would be to win'

James is hopeful that club success can translate into picking up silverware with England at next year's World Cup finals in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

The Chelsea skipper started in five of England's eight World Cup qualifiers as The Three Lions topped the group without conceding a single goal.

England boss Thomas Tuchel has put a lot of faith in James in the right-back spot, and he could be making his first World Cup appearance next summer.

The Three Lions have fallen short at the final hurdle in recent years with defeats in the final at the last two European Championships and a semi-final loss at the 2018 World Cup, but James is confident that the squad can go the extra mile this time around.

"The World Cup year is coming and it’s usually the year where you see people performing the best," he said.

"It’s exciting times. The squad is amazing and the manager is amazing as well so we’re all excited for the World Cup.

"The only success for England would be to win. We’ve come so close in finals before and the next step is getting our hands on silverware.

"With Chelsea, it’s about competing at the highest level and go for as many trophies as we can."

'Stack the odds in your favour'

James also spoke about how he has overcome his own hurdles when it comes to his injury record.

The England international endured a spell on the sidelines a few years ago due to a recurring problem and he credited family and friends for keeping him positive during those tough spells.

"It plays on your mind a lot," he explained. "Why is the main question, why does this keep happening and what can I do differently? You go round in circles a lot.

"It’s been super tough being out for three to four months and coming back then after one game having a recurrence [of the injury] is not what any player wants.

"It tests your mental strength and I think that the people you have around you always play a part and help in that process.

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"It was more of a two-year period when I had setback after setback. It wasn’t really one moment but more of a two-year cloud which was my most difficult moment to overcome."

Luckily for Chelsea and England fans, James has appeared back to his best this season and although he is looking to find his "best form", he admits that he is still learning about his body.

"I’ve tried many different things during the process," he said. "There’s lots of trial and error to see what works and what doesn’t work.

"I wouldn’t say that there’s too much I do differently now, but I know a lot more about my body."

Even though he has appeared to put his injury fears behind him in this campaign, James was keen to send a message to other players who might also be on a similar journey.

"I’ve been through a lot and I’ve had long periods with recurring injuries and sometimes in the moment, it’s hard to see past it," James added.

"I’m sure that there are many players who are going through similar [situations] and might be lost or in disbelief.

"Just stay strong, keep pushing and try and stack the odds in your favour."

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