WCW

Lauren Elizabeth James was born on September 29, 2001, in London, to a multicultural family. Her ancestry is a rich blend of English heritage from her mother’s side and Grenadian and Dominican roots from her father’s side, reflecting the diversity of the Caribbean and British cultures.
Lauren James career started early, she was discovered by Arsenal at just 13 years old, and initially trained with the boys’ team for two years before joining the first team. On October 29, 2017, she made her debut for the club in a 2-0 win over Everton, coming on for Lisa Evans in the 67th minute. At 16 years and 321 days old, James became the second-youngest player to ever feature for Arsenal, making history and marking the start of a promising career.

Lauren James joined Manchester United’s professional team in July 2018, as they prepared to compete in the newly reorganized FA Women’s Championship. She made her debut on August 19, 2018, in a 1-0 League Cup win over Liverpool. James’ impressive performance continued with a brace in United’s 12-0 victory over Aston Villa in their Championship opener. Her outstanding form earned her the FA Women’s Championship Player of the Month award for September 2018.
Throughout the season, James consistently scored crucial goals, including four in a 7-0 league win over Crystal Palace and the team’s first-ever WSL goal in a 2-0 win over Liverpool. Although she faced a setback with a red card in a 3-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur, James signed her first professional contract with Manchester United on December 16, 2019. Her impressive performances made her the top scorer for United in the 2019-20 season, earning her a spot on the PFA Women’s Young Player of the Year shortlist.

Lauren James joined Chelsea on a four-year deal in July 2021, further solidifying the club’s reputation for developing young talent. Her brother Reece James, a skilled right-back, also plays for Chelsea’s men’s team, serving as captain.
James quickly made her mark on the team, scoring the opening goal in a resounding 9-0 victory over Leicester City on March 27, 2022. Her impressive performances continued throughout the season, resulting in 33 appearances across all competitions and 8 goals, including 5 in the Women’s Super League.

Her exceptional skills and dedication earned her the prestigious Young Player of the Year Award at the Women’s Football Awards for the 2022-23 season. Building on this success, James committed to Chelsea for the long term, signing a contract extension in June 2023 that will keep her at the club until 2027.
Her international journey began in April 2017, when she made her under-17 debut in a friendly match against the USA. Although the team faced a 2-0 loss, James’ potential shone through.
James received her first International under-19 call-up in January 2019, joining the team for the Algarve Tournament. Later that year, she was selected for the England squad competing in the 2019 UEFA Under-19 Championship in Scotland, further solidifying her place in the national team setup.

Her senior international career began with a debut against Austria on September 3, 2022. She scored her first goal for England on February 16, 2023, in the Arnold Clark Cup, and was named to the roster for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup on May 31, 2023.
James made a significant impact in the tournament, scoring two goals and providing three assists, including a Player of the Match performance against China. She also scored the decisive goal in England’s 1-0 win over Denmark.