Showing2026/27 seasonAll official competitions
Preferred Positions
Last 24 months · all competitions
RB
Right-backMain
3,039 min · 57 apps · 31 starts
CDM
Defensive midfield
2,027 min · 25 apps · 25 starts
Squad importance
Current squad importance over the club’s last 40 recorded competitive games in this spell, including previous seasons. Starts and minutes contribute 70%; performance contributes 30%. Absences reduce the score gradually, with less weight when a player is outside the matchday squad.Current role at Chelsea · independent of the season filter
Rotation
Involvement48%
Performance43%
Through the match on 31 Oct 2026. Refreshed daily.
Profile
Career & playing style
Reece James is an English defender whose crossing and comfort on the ball give him several ways to influence an attack. From the right, he can drive deliveries into the gap between goalkeeper and defence, making it difficult for either to intervene before a forward arrives.
Born in London on 8 December 1999, James developed in Chelsea’s academy and captained their Under-18s to the FA Youth Cup in 2018. A season on loan at Wigan Athletic in 2018/19 gave him Championship experience and brought the club’s Player of the Year and Players’ Player of the Year awards. He also played in midfield there.
Frank Lampard brought him into Chelsea’s senior side for 2019/20. James scored from outside the penalty area on his debut against Grimsby Town in September 2019, then equalised in the 4-4 Champions League draw with Ajax that November. His ability to contribute near goal was evident from that first season.
He started at right wing-back when Chelsea beat Manchester City in the 2021 Champions League final. Appointed club captain in August 2023, he went on to lift the Conference League and Club World Cup in 2025. In the latter final against Paris Saint-Germain, he started in midfield.
James made his senior England debut in October 2020 and belonged to the squad that finished runners-up at EURO 2020, played in 2021. His first England goal came in March 2025, when he curled a free-kick around Latvia’s defensive wall at Wembley.
At the 2026 World Cup he made five appearances as England finished third. It was his first World Cup, and he operated mainly at right-back while also being used in midfield, extending that versatility to the international stage. Back with Chelsea, he injured his knee in training in October 2026 and underwent minor surgery.
That central role asks for a different kind of influence from his crossing. In 2026, Chelsea coach Xabi Alonso highlighted his awareness of the next pass before receiving possession and his ability to connect nearby team-mates. Alongside his wide delivery, this helps explain why James has been used both to supply the penalty area and to link play through the middle.
Latest stats & form
Reece James currently plays for Chelsea as a right-back. He has represented England internationally.