Lauren James celebrates her second goal in a 6-1 win against China in England. Photo: Getty Images/Andy Cheung
Lauren James is a man of few words, but when you have magic at your feet, they tend to speak for you.
In this respect, she is Harry Potter in this England team. By scoring her first World Cup goal with a superb shot against Denmark, James took her game to the next level against China.
She was superb, scoring twice and scoring three more in a devastating game against England, who finally found themselves in this World Cup.
As good as the goal against the Danes was, it was only a small part of what she is capable of. It was a full-fledged banquet, and what a holiday could have been arranged.
In the new 3-5-2 formation, James played the role of No. 10 behind two strikers Alessia Russo and Lauren Hemp, wandering the niches of the space between midfield and attack — and she took the chance to show the world what she is. one of the most exciting young players on the planet.
Her first goal, a sloppy first shot from a set piece, driving the ball into the top corner with perfect speed and angle to cut through a crowded penalty area, was superb.
< lang='en' dir='ltr'>LAUREN JAMES DOES THIS THREE 🦁🏴üüübüüüüüüüüüüüüüüüüüüüüüüüüüüöüm smash third ball #ENG from outside the box 🌟#FIFAWWC pic.twitter.com/izdessl6jF
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) August 1, 2023
But her second was extraordinary when she saw Jess Carter's deep cross fall from the sky at speed and then touch the ball with a perfectly controlled side kick. The technique was exquisite, the shape of the body to keep the ball in the target while running, a skill that only a few players in the world could use. James pretended she was hitting an empty net at her local park.
Her celebration was muted. She used to do that kind of thing in training, with the only difference being that this time we were all watching. She seemed oblivious, preferring to get the approval of her teammates rather than wallow in the flattery of the crowd.
LAUREN JAMES OH MY WORD 💫
Sensational volley from James…she has 2️⃣, #ENG has 4️⃣!#FIFAWWC pic.twitter.com/NGtFPLGZ5n
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) August 1, 2023
There was already excitement around James heading to this tournament, but her life would change after that. From now on, she will be a woman with strong marks, but she looks like a person who will not let any of this worry. In addition, silky touches are combined with strength and power.
In her post-match press conference as man of the match, James was deadpan and unflappable, perhaps not even bothered by all the attention. Teammates called her shy, but added that she had an iron will and great faith in herself. She was asked two questions, and she answered both questions in a total of 57 words. The answers aren't really worth repeating, but the key phrases that caught my eye were that she «plays with freedom» and «enjoys» herself first.
James (second from left) "enjoying" herself after scoring England's third goal against China. Photo: PA/Isabel Infantes
Some people don't like to perform in public and James, whose brother Rhys also plays for England, seems to be one of them. We don't want every Lioness to be a character, influencer, or campaigner. We want them to play good football first and foremost and James is one of the best in England. This is her tournament, which now needs to be formed.
The only parody was that she didn't score a goals hat-trick to go with an assists hat-trick — a header back to Russo, an outside ball pass to Hemp and a through ball to Chloe Kelly.
The 21-year-old was denied a notorious trio due to farcical interference by Var officials who decided that despite the ball bouncing to Lucy Bronze, who was retreating from an offside position and not active in the first phase of the game . — from the back of China's jumping defender, she was not going to play with the ball. However, she is the youngest player to directly score five goals in a single Women's World Cup game.
James has been threatening to do so on the world stage for some time now. Chelsea have long known how special she can be. Indeed, while she was working live in her home country, her club manager Emma Hayes couldn't hide her smugness that the young girl had just signed a new long-term contract that would keep her in west London until 2027.
There was even a hint in James' comments on ITV of the excitement this World Cup brings when the adrenaline is still flowing and media training is less restrictive.
“This is what dreams are made of,” she said. . “I'm happy for the team; everyone is buzzing… I felt free. Whether I'm on the wing or in the centre, I'm happy to play and contribute to goals. Like in the last game, I just thought, 'Give it up and see what happens.'
It was frustrating [missed goal], but these things happen. I'm just looking forward to the next one. I strive to improve every game and there are many more years of improvement ahead of me.”
England needed a new star to show up in Australia after losing so many of their celebrities to injury after winning the European championship. championship last year. James shines brightest, and now the whole world knows her name and what she is capable of. It's a career-defining moment, but she plays and sounds like it's all routine. Keep that freedom and adventure in your game and James will lead England deep into this tournament.
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