The September international break will go down as a success for Reece James, and England teammates Declan Rice and Marcus Rashford have been full of praise for the Chelsea captain.
Despite starting only one Premier League game for the Blues so far this season, Thomas Tuchel started James for both England World Cup qualifiers during the break.
Enzo Maresca may have been unhappy at the usage of James, but it looks clear that the Chelsea man has established himself as the number one choice in his position for his nation.
James impressed greatly in the win over Andorra, with that being a game where very few in the England camp stood out.
The right-back has managed to stay fit since January, and this is allowing people to see him once again as one of the best in the world in his position.
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Declan Rice and Marcus Rashford share Reece James training secret
One thing James has over players like Trent Alexander-Arnold is his physicality, and this has not gone unnoticed amongst the England squad.
In a video where Rashford, Rice and Noni Madueke were guessing stats on their teammates’ new FC 26 cards, the England players were convinced James should have the highest rating of the whole squad.
Rashford said: “Reece is strong”, to which Rice added: “He’s so strong.”
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Rashford went on to say: “He must be [underrated] if he’s not top.”
Rice said: “You don’t understand how strong he is.”
The ratings were revealed and James ranked below Dan Burn, which is when Rashford said: “That’s crazy. If you’re dribbling at him, if he touches you, you’re not getting past him.”
Rice then finished with: “Even when he shields the ball and that, it doesn’t even need to be a tackle, you just can’t get round that. He’s just too strong.”
Serbia v England - FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifier
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Pundits won over by James ahead of 2026 World Cup
The battle for the right-back position in the England squad is one of the most competitive there is, with Alexander-Arnold, Kieran Trippier and Djed Spence all available for selection.
However, a number of pundits are leaning towards James being the starting option going into the 2026 World Cup.
Micah Richards thinks James has earned his place, while Rio Ferdinand believes James offers a more complete skillset compared to the other options available.
As he now returns to club duties, it remains to be seen whether he will face Brentford on Saturday, with the Blues knowing there is a big game against Bayern Munich to come just days later in the Champions League.