Reece James has become a star for both Chelsea and England, scoring a sublime free-kick for the latter on Monday.
James has made 172 appearances for Chelsea and won 18 caps for England, and had it not been for injuries, those numbers would be much higher.
During the 2018/19 season, though, the defender was playing in the Championship. So it is fair to say that he has come a long way.
That campaign proved to be crucial in James’ development. The right-back got plenty of game time during his loan spell at Wigan Athletic and performed so well that he managed to leave quite the impression on Paul Cook, who was manager of the Latics at the time.
James has also impressed Thomas Tuchel, with the England boss praising him following his recent goal against Latvia.
Photo by Nathan Stirk/Getty Images
Photo by Nathan Stirk/Getty Images
When Reece James captained Wigan
Despite only being on loan at Wigan and still being 19 years of age, James actually got to captain Cook’s side on the final day of the 2018/19 Championship season.
It was a reward for the Englishman for his professionalism and performances during his loan spell with the Latics.
Speaking to Wigan’s official website before that final game, Cook said: “Reece has been an outstanding professional during his time at our club and someone who completely deserves the praise he gets.
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“With that said, Reece will captain the team on Sunday and it’s likely that we’ll bring him off during the latter stages of the game so that our supporters can give him the ovation he deserves.”
Since then, James has been appointed the permanent captain of Chelsea, a role that the 25-year-old is starting to grow into.
Maresca discussed James’ importance in January and explained that his skipper was beginning to display more leadership qualities.
Photo by Visionhaus/Getty Images
Photo by Visionhaus/Getty Images
How Reece James feels about being Chelsea captain
Being at Chelsea since he was a little boy, unsurprisingly, being named club captain was a huge honour for James.
“I’m so happy to take on the role and responsibility,” James was quoted as saying by Chelsea’s official website in 2023. “I know I’ve got big shoes to fill because we have had huge captains here in the past, but I am excited.
“I have been at Chelsea pretty much my whole life. I started here when I was six and to come through the Academy is tough. But to go on and become captain, it’s a great feeling for me and my family.”
With the England international putting in some top performances lately and really starting to lead his side, Chelsea supporters will be praying that he can stay fit.
Do that, and the chances of Maresca’s men finishing in the top four and qualifying for the Champions League will go up drastically.