Reece James has offered an explanation as to why he didn't celebrate after he score a free-kick to give England the lead against Latvia on Monday night. The match marked the full-back's first start for his country since late 2022 and he capped it off nicely with a fantastic display and a wonderful goal in the first half.
It was a triumphant way to return to the starting lineup after several years dealing with injuries, but he was noticeably reserved with his celebrations once the ball hit the back of the net. While he was swarmed by his teammates afterwards, he remained calm himself and has since explained why in a post-match interview.
Reece James after scoring for England Related
England 3-0 Latvia: Player Ratings and Match Highlights
England were comfortable 3-0 victors over Latvia in their second World Cup qualifier on Monday evening.
James Didn't Celebrate As He Was Surprised
He didn't think he'd score
Reece James
After James got the ball rolling and gave England the lead in the first half, the Three Lions went on to comfortably brush Latvia aside and goals from Harry Kane and Eberechi Eze wrapped things up nicely for Thomas Tuchel in his second match in charge of the country. That free-kick was what had most people talking, though, and after a superb game, the Chelsea man was interviewed after full-time by the ITV team.
He was quickly quizzed about Tuchel's impact at Chelsea and what England fans can expect from the manager during his reign in charge of the Three Lions, but he was then also questioned about his goal and the lack of celebration. In response, he explained he was merely surprised to see the ball hit the back of the net and initially thought the keeper could have done better. He's since changed his mind after watching a replay, though. Speaking to ITV, he said:
"I saw the wall and I felt I could bend it round and, thankfully, I managed to hit the back of the net. I was a bit surprised it actually hit the net. I thought the keeper could have maybe got there, but you know, looking at the replay, it was probably tough."