He has had four years since Southgate omitted him from his Qatar squad, fearing the 26-year-old had not fully recovered from the serious knee injury he suffered just weeks before the trip. And the Chelsea captain found the tournament particularly difficult from home, having been ruled out even though he had returned to training.
But now, James will make his long-awaited bow on the world stage in the tournament after being included in Thomas Tuchel’s Three Lions squad to play in the USA.
‘It’s been on my mind since 2022,’ James revealed. ‘My dream is to play in the World Cup, lift the World Cup and help my country. Since then I have done everything I can to work towards it.’
He also thinks that the Club World Cup with Chelsea this summer in the States has been crucial in helping to adapt to the environment he will face in the USA.
“Trophies are definitely what I love the most,” he confessed. “I don’t think anything is the same as winning a trophy and you never look back and regret winning. It feels so good.”
England go into the tournament with high hopes of success, with James believing they are good enough to come out on top.
