Reece James

James has been named in England's World Cup squad after a season disrupted by injuries, with the Chelsea captain returning in time to play a key role in the second half of the campaign and push for a starting berth at the tournament.

Analysis: James recorded two goals and five assists across 29 Premier League appearances before his injury interrupted what had been an outstanding start to the season, demonstrating the dynamic right-back qualities that make him one of the most dangerous wide defensive options in the world when fully fit. The defender brings pace, delivery and a genuine goal threat from right-back that gives England an additional attacking dimension, and his return to full fitness is one of the most important developments in manager Tuchel's squad preparation heading into the competition. James heads into the World Cup determined to prove his fitness and cement a starting role in what could be one of the defining tournaments of his career.

May 22, 2026

Remains option for Sunday

James is still set to be an option for Sunday's match against Sunderland, according to manager Callum McFarlane. "Reece trained today, and we'll play it day by day with him. He's fit and in good condition, but we know that we've had to manage Reece correctly over the last few games. He obviously played a lot of minutes in the [FA Cup] final, which was a tough game against a really good side, so it was going to take a lot out of him, so we didn't want to risk him on Tuesday. We felt like we had enough to see the game out, which proved to be correct, and we're hoping to have Reece available on Sunday."

Analysis: James was a bit of a concern after he missed the club's midweek match due to some rest, but continues to trend in the right direction and is seemingly set to return Sunday. This is huge news for the club's skipper, as he will end the season on the field and in good health ahead of the 2026 World Cup. He has been a consistent starter around the midfield and defense all season and should return to that role to end the campaign, looking to potentially add to his two goals and four assists in the finale.

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Reece James

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