Archive September 3, 2025

England forward Lauren James says fans were “too quick to judge” during her struggles at Euro 2025.

In an interview with BBC Sport, the 23-year-old said injury problems and criticism during the tournament affected how much she was able to enjoy the Lionesses’ historic triumph in Switzerland.

And with a fear of suffering racist abuse, James was also relieved to see other England players miss penalties in the quarter-final tie against Sweden after her own spot-kick was saved.

“A lot of the time fans don’t know what is going on, they only know what is in front of them,” she said.

“They don’t know what someone is dealing with, what is going on in their life. I always say to the fans, be mindful, you don’t know what someone is dealing with out there. You could just be adding on to it.

James was viewed as a key figure for England manager Sarina Wiegman in their European campaign in Switzerland, and started all six games as the Lionesses retained their title.

But in the latter stages of the competition, she struggled to produce her best form and injury meant she was taken off at half-time in the semi-final against Italy, as well as during the first-half of the final win over Spain.

It transpired James had suffered an injury against Sweden that will now keep her out of the start of Chelsea’s 2025-26 campaign.

Still in a protective boot when she spoke to BBC Sport at the club’s Cobham training ground, James said she had tried to play through the pain in order to help the team.

“I was obviously fighting to be fit for the Euros, then suffered another injury in the quarter-finals, and tried to play on,” she revealed.

“Then people assume you’re not trying, but at the end of the day I’m in a ridiculous amount of pain which caused me to come off at half-time in the semi-finals and before half-time in the final.”

James also suffered a series of injuries last season limiting her to just 17 appearances and four goals for Chelsea as they won a domestic treble.

James said she had an idea of how bad her injury was during the Sweden tie, but wanted to carry on playing to help her team.

“I know when something is not right,” she added. “But we had no more subs left [against Sweden] so I had to stay on the pitch. And then it’s a Euros semi-final, I didn’t think it was a major injury so I tried to play [against Italy]. Then we’re in the final, I can’t not play, so I tried again.

“And obviously we won, but I didn’t feel great. I didn’t play how I wanted to play, I couldn’t dribble, I couldn’t run properly.”

When asked if the injury problems and the criticism affected how much she enjoyed the success of back-to-back titles, she said “for sure”.

“It was an amazing achievement, but during the last two games I wasn’t able to help the team,” she added. “To also get negative comments, from fans and the public – sometimes people are too quick to judge.”

What sort of comments?

James had played a key role in getting England through the group stage – she scored twice in the 4-0 win over the Netherlands.

But she missed her side’s second spot-kick in the penalty shootout quarter-final win over Sweden – and admitted being scared of getting racist abuse.

Team-mates Beth Mead, Alex Greenwood and Grace Clinton also failed to score before England eventually progressed 3-2 on penalties after a 2-2 draw.

However, James’ England team-mate Jess Carter revealed she was subjected to racism online after the game and during the tournament. Carter subsequently said she feared James would face “astronomical abuse” if her missed penalty had decided the outcome against Sweden.

When England’s men lost to Italy on penalties in the Euro 2020 final, Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka – who all missed penalties – suffered racist abuse on social media.

Asked if that was on her mind in Zurich, James admitted: “For sure. Stepping up, I was thinking, if I miss I hope I’m not the only one because I know what comes with it – it happened before and keeps happening.

“As sad as it sounds, it was the biggest relief ever that other players missed. Who would have thought that? You always want your team-mates to score so you get through.

“Luckily we missed and got through, but it was not a nice moment – you are playing for your country so you should feel the support from the fans. It shouldn’t matter what colour you are.”

But James said that sort of treatment would still never make her think twice about representing her country.

“It’s where I’m from, where my mum is from, I always dreamed of playing for my country,” she added.

“We do great things with England – back-to-back Euros, thankfully I was part of the last one. I want to be part of every one going forward.”

Chelsea open the WSL season at home to Manchester City on Friday and face a hard ask to improve on their first campaign under manager Sonia Bompastor, where they won the league, FA Cup and League Cup.

But, having lost to Barcelona in the semi-finals, the hunger for a first Champions League title has been increased by Arsenal’s triumph over the Spaniards in last year’s final.

Fans were “too quick to judge” England’s forward’s performance at Euro 2025, according to Lauren James.

The 23-year-old claimed that her ability to enjoy the Lionesses’ historic victory in Switzerland was impacted by her injury problems and criticism during the tournament in an interview with BBC Sport.

After saving her own spot-kick, James was relieved to see other England players miss penalties in the quarter-final match against Sweden because she feared receiving racist abuse.

Fans frequently only know what is happening in front of them, she said.

They are unaware of what someone is going through or what is happening in their lives. Fans, be aware, you can’t tell what someone is doing out there, I always say. You could just add more to it.

No player enters a game or season believing they won’t try. They don’t visit as frequently as they used to, because it was a Euros. I’m going to try to play even though you might have one leg hanging off.

England manager Sarina Wiegman regarded James as a significant player during their six-game European campaign in Switzerland, where he started every game as the Lionesses won the title.

However, she struggled to produce her best form in the final stages of the competition, and her injury forced her to miss half-time in both the semi-final against Italy and the opening half of the final victory over Spain.

It is believed that James had an injury that prevented her from starting Chelsea’s 2025-26 campaign.

James, who was speaking to BBC Sport at the club’s Cobham training facility, claimed she had tried to play through the discomfort to help the team.

She revealed that she was obviously battling to be fit for the Euros before suffering yet another injury in the quarter-finals and trying to play.

At the end of the day, I’m in a ridiculous amount of pain that caused me to come off at half-time in the semi-finals and before half-time in the final. “People then assume you’re not trying, but at the end of the day, I’m in a ridiculous amount of pain.

As Chelsea won a domestic treble last year, James also had a ton of injuries that limited her to just 17 appearances and four goals.

James said she was aware of how bad her injury was prior to the Sweden game, but she still wanted to play to support her team.

She continued, “I know when something is wrong.” However, we [against Sweden] had no more subs left, so I was forced to play. I tried to play against [Italie], but it’s a semi-final of the Euros because I didn’t think it was a major injury. I tried again because we’re in the final, and I can’t stop myself.

“And we obviously won, but I didn’t feel great,” he said. I had trouble dribbling and running because I didn’t play the way I wanted to.

When questioned about how much she enjoyed the success of back-to-back titles, she responded, “for sure,” when asked if the injury issues and criticism had an impact.

Although it was an incredible accomplishment, she continued, “I wasn’t able to help the team in the final two games.” “Sometimes people are too quick to judge,” said one fan and the general public, “to also receive negative comments.”

What comments are there?

But she admitted to being afraid of receiving racist abuse and missed her team’s second spot kick in the penalty shootout quarter-final victory over Sweden.

Before England eventually advanced 3-2 on penalties following a 2-2 draw, team-mates Beth Mead, Alex Greenwood, and Grace Clinton each failed to score.

Jess Carter, James’ England team-mate, made it known that she was subjected to racism both after and after the game. After that, Carter claimed that if her missed penalty had determined the outcome for Sweden, she feared James would face “astronomical abuse.”

Rashford, Sancho, and Bukayo Saka all suffered racist abuse on social media when England’s men lost to Italy on penalties in the Euro 2020 final.

When James questioned whether that was something she was thinking in Zurich, she responded, “For sure. I was contemplating this as I thought, “If I miss, I hope I’m not the only one because I am aware of what has occurred and continues to happen.”

It was the biggest relief other players have ever lacked, despite how depressing it may sound. Who would have imagined that? To get through, you always want your team-mates to score.

“We fortunately missed and passed, but it wasn’t a nice moment because the fans should feel the support.” What color should you be, really?

However, James claimed that treatment would never cause her to reconsider whether or not to represent her country.

I’ve always dreamed of playing for my country, she continued, noting that my mother and I are both from that country.

“Thank God I was a part of the last one, we do great things with England,” he said. I want to join each and every one moving forward.

Chelsea take on Manchester City on Friday in their opening WSL game, where they won the league, FA Cup, and League Cup.

The desire for a first Champions League title has been heightened by Arsenal’s victory over the Spaniards in the final of last year after losing to Barcelona in the semi-finals.

After a number of years of injury-ravaged career, Jake Wightman claims that making it to the start line at this month’s World Championships in Japan will feel like “redemption.”

When he competes in the 1500-meter race in Tokyo, the 31-year-old Scot will have his first major championship since 2022.

Wightman won the world 1500m title in Eugene three years ago, but injury prevented him from competing in the same year’s competition. He was also forced to miss the Olympics days before the 800m race in Paris last summer.

“I don’t think I’m a worse athlete or anything like that; I think I have more to prove than I have,” he continued despite suffering a number of setbacks over the past few years.

I’m making an effort to avoid putting any pressure on it. If I enter it without expecting, I believe I will do my best.

Wightman’s injury issues mean he intends to enjoy every moment of his major Japanese comeback.

He said, “I probably didn’t realize how low some of those points were until I started racing again this year.

When I first hurt before Paris, I kind of brushed it under the rug and took a vacation, but I only felt much better when I returned to racing this summer because the process involved being involved.

Wightman refutes the claim that he is one of the most unfortunate athletes in the area despite everything.

You would assume that I am the most unlucky athlete in the world if you only knew about my career’s 2022 completion, but I have had many opportunities where things have gone my way and many people would have admired the experiences I have had, he continued.

It’s not as though my career is defined by low points, then. It has some amazing high points that stand in for me in contrast to these low ones.