Lauren Elizabeth James is an English professional footballer who plays as a winger. She plays for Chelsea in the FA Women’s Super League and the England women’s national team. She is a three-time FA WSL winner with the Blues.
James is one of the most promising talents in the women’s football today. She is renown for her strength, speed, skillful dribbling, brilliant technique to open up defenses and shooting prowess. The versatile forward is also excellent in passing and crossing. Her creativity and unpredictability has always been a thorn in the flesh for opposition defenses.
She is the younger sister of Chelsea captain and England defender Reece James. They are the first pair of brother and sister to represent England at senior level in the contemporary age football.
Age and Birthday
Born in Redbridge, North-East London on 29 September 2001, Lauren is 22 years old as at 2024. Her zodiac sign is Libra.
Height
Lauren is approximately 1.75 meters (5 feet 9 inches) tall.
Preferred foot
The talented winger prefers playing with both feet.
Religion
James is a strong believer of the Christian faith.
Lauren James Family
Lauren’s parents are Nigel James and Emma James. Her father Nigel, a former professional football player and a UEFA licensed coach is currently a professional football coach. He is the director of a youth academy called Nigel James Elite Coaching located in south-west London. Emma works with the Nurses and Midwifery Council of the United Kingdom.
As the saying goes, the apple does fall far from the tree. Nigel kids took after him when it comes to love for football. Lauren is the third and last-born that football-adoring family. Her brothers are also into football; the oldest Joshua James played for Reading and the other brother Reece James plays as a right-back for Chelsea and England national team. He is as well the Chelsea men’s team captain.
Lauren James Club Career
Early stages
Born in a football family, it’s needless to say Lauren was introduced to the game by her father and brothers. While growing up, she would always play with her brothers Joshua and Reece under the guidance of the father. She would even join her brothers whenever they played with other boys from the neighborhood.
One can be forgiven to think that the boys gave her chances to get the ball easily. However that was never the case. Lauren had to work harder in order to keep up with the boys. This went a long way in developing her strength and resilience, important attributes she has carried along up to date.
Chelsea: 2008-2015
She started training with Chelsea under-10 girl’s team from the age of six and stayed in the club academy until she was13 years old.
Arsenal: 2015-2018
James joined Arsenal when she was 13 years old. However, at first she was too good to fit in the girls’ team and at the same time too young to fit in the senior women’s squad. So she trained with the boys team for two years before joining the women’s first team.
On 29 October 2017, aged 16 years and 30 days, Lauren made her senior debut coming in as a substitute in the 67th minute to replace Lisa Evans in a 2-0 win against Everton. She made history by becoming the second youngest player to play for Arsenal.
She played 8 matches (5 in the WSL) and scored one goal for Arsenal Women.
Manchester United: 2018-2021
It was announced on 13 July 2018 that James would be competing in the newly re-organized 2018-19 FA Women’s Championship as part of the first professional Manchester United women’s squad. She played her first competitive match for Manchester United on August 19 in a 1-0 win against Liverpool in the League Cup. In the 2018-19 season opening match, James scored United’s first to goals in a 12-0 away win against Aston Villa.
She was voted the player of the month for September 2018 after scoring three goals as United went unbeaten in the Championship’s opening month. In a 7-0 victory against Crystal Palace on 20 April 2019, Lauren scored four goals.
Manchester United won a promotion to play in the FA Women’s Super League in the 2019-20 season. Lauren’s debut WSL goal came on 28 September 2019 in a 2-0 win against Liverpool. On 16 December 2019, she signed her first professional contract with the Manchester club. James finished the club’s top scorer for the 2019-2020 season and was named to the PFA Women’s Young Player of the Year four-player shortlist.
James played a total of 56 games and scored 28 goals for Manchester united inside three seasons.
Chelsea: 2021-present
It is worth mentioning that Lauren has been a Chelsea fan since she was a kid. She joined the London-based club on 23 July 2021 when she signed a four-year contract. Ever since she joined the blues, James has been instrumental in the team’s attacks.
She scored her debut goal for Chelsea on 27 March 2022 in a 9-0 away win over Leicester City. She carried on with her brilliant performances in her second season with the blues, making 33 appearances in all competitions. Lauren scored 8 goals, with 5 being in the WSL while two were in the Champions League. Her outstanding performances for both club and country during the 2022-23 season won her the Women’s PFA Young Player of the Year 2023. James as well bagged the London Football Awards Women’s Young Player of the Year 2023.
In June 2023, James signed a new contract keeping her at Chelsea until 2027.
She carried on with her exceptional performance into the 2023-24 season helping the team win their seventh WSL title in nine years and five times in a row. Her individual brilliance saw her claim the PFA WSL Fan’s Player of the Year and the Chelsea Women’s Player of the Season.
Lauren James International Career
Youth
Lauren made her under-17 debut in April 2017, in 2-0 defeat in a friendly against the USA. She captained the England under-17 side and scored four goals in a 10-0 2018 UEFA Women’s U-17 Championship qualification win against Latvia on 14 October 2017.
On 31 May 2023, she got a callup into the England squad for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in July in Australia and New Zealand. Lauren scored the only goal to give England victory over Denmark in their second group match. In the third group match, a 6-1 win over China, James scored twice and provided three assists as she put on a player of the match performance as England qualified for the knock-out stage. She consequently became the youngest player to be directly involved in five goals in a single Women’s World Cup match.
However, during the round of 16 against Nigeria, James was send-off and banned for two matches for violent conduct on Michelle Alozie. England won the game by penalties to qualify for quarter finals. James returned for the finals and got involved coming in as a substitute where they lost 1-0 to Spain finishing the tournament as runners-up.
Lauren James Honours
Manchester United
- FA Women’s Championship: 2018-19
Chelsea
- FA Women’s Super League: 2021-22, 2022-23, 2023-24
- Women’s FA Cup: 2021-22, 2022-23
England
- FIFA Women’s World Cup runner-up: 2023
- Women’s Finalissima: 2023
- Arnold Clark Cup: 2023
Individual
- PFA WSL Fan’s Player of the Year 2023-24
- Chelsea Women’s Player of the Season 2023-24
- PFA Women’s Young Player of the Year: 2023
- London Football Awards Women’s Young Player of the Year: 2023
- WSL Goal of the Month: February 2023
- Arnold Clark Cup Player of the Tournament: 2023
- Arnold Clark Cup NXGN Player of the Tournament: 2023
- North-West Football Awards Women’s Rising Star: 2020
- FA Women’s Championship Player of the Month: September 2018
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