England head coach Thomas Tuchel has lauded Chelsea captain Reece James after his impressive performance in England’s 3-0 victory over Latvia yesterday.
The 25-year old marked his first start for the Three Lions in over two years with a brilliant freekick in the first half, to put them ahead on the night.
James, played and won the UEFA Champions League under Tuchel while the 51-year old was at Chelsea in 2021, made his England debut in 2022 but has been limited to just 17 caps after suffering from frequent injuries.
Speaking after his second successive victory in just his second game in charge as England boss, Tuchel praised the right back, stating he never had a doubt about his quality.
He said: “There cannot be any doubt about Reece’s quality, it’s the highest level.
We were clear he’d trained without pause and if he didn’t play it was the choice of the club, protecting him. We knew he was in a good space mentally.
If you play a dominant match like today he can be, like in the last 20 [minutes], a hybrid midfielder and help to create an overload because he has the quality on the ball.”
Chelsea has carefully managed James’ playing time this season, using him sparingly, and he has made 14 appearances in all competitions so far.
He took to the field as a substitute against Albania on Friday and will be given a confidence boost with his performance against Latvia, after missing Euro 2024 due to injury.
“I know the quality he has in that foot — it’s amazing. He has every right to be happy and proud of his performance. He’s in excellent shape,” Tuchel continued.
“When we called him up he hadn’t had many games but it wasn’t due to injury, they were just taking care and managing him. He looks sharp and in shape.”
Second half goals from Harry Kane and Eberechi Eze made it two wins from two in the Thomas Tuchel era, as England made a bright start to their World Cup qualifying campaign.
Olakitan is a young writer with a strong passion for sports, having gained experience with IndyPress and Nimelssa Press. His enthusiasm for sports inspired him to cover events both within his school and beyond. With a deep understanding of the game and a refined skillset, he brings sports coverage to a broad, global audience in a way that’s engaging and accessible.
