Like most footballers, Lauren James prefers to let her on-pitch skills do most of the talking. And so far, it's a strategy that's paid off. Since joining Chelsea in 2021, she's lifted the Women's Super League [WSL] trophy three times, won the FA Cup, represented (and scored for) England at the Women's World Cup, and has been nominated for the prestigious Ballon d'Or. Oh, and she's only 22.
“It's nice to be recognised [for the Ballon d'Or] alongside so many great players,” Lauren tells me over Zoom on a hot Wednesday earlier in the month. “It was just a nice feeling,” she says. What's that old commentary cliché? Cool as you like.
It's not just Lauren's obvious talent that sets her apart from others on the pitch. Earlier in the month, she launched a scholarship programme to empower young girls from minoritised backgrounds to get involved in football. In a statement shared on social media, Lauren called for “more diversity in the women's game.” Something, it has to be said, that is sorely missing from the England Women's squad.
At last year's Women's World Cup, England manager Sarina Weigman selected just two women of colour – including Lauren – for her 23-player squad. And it's not just England's problem. A report by the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) indicates that just 9.7% of elite female footballers are from diverse ethnic backgrounds – compared to 43% of men in the Premier League.
The importance of representation in women's football, especially for young girls eagerly following the WSL, cannot be overstated. “As I was growing up, I didn't really have any role models that looked similar to me,” Lauren explains.
“There are kids who are less fortunate who aren't getting seen – or can't even get to training. That's why I've launched this scholarship to help those girls who have barriers in the way of them realising their potential.”
Football, especially in the social media age, is not always a welcoming place for Black women.
At the Women's World Cup in Australia last year, Lauren was rightly heralded as the “most naturally gifted player in the country”. But we saw how quickly the tides of public opinion could turn. After Lauren was handed a red card for appearing to deliberately step on Nigeria's Michelle Alozie during their round of 16 clash (for which she apologised), she found herself at the centre of a turbulent media storm.
Lauren is all too aware of the disparities between how white and black women footballers are treated on social media. “If you do something that's not perfect or I don't know, say you miss a chance you should have put away, sometimes people perceive you as having an 'attitude' where someone of a different colour could be…” she trails off.
Have you found that with yourself? I ask. “Yeah.”
How did that feel? “It is disappointing,” Lauren starts. “We're all footballers, and we're all trying to achieve and do the same thing, so we should all be treated the same.”
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While there's still so much work to be done, Lauren is hopeful about the future of women's football. “We're going in the right direction. We are seeing a lot more girls play and want to start playing football.”
Lauren is also an ambassador for McDonald’s Fun Football, which runs free football sessions to children aged 5-11 across the country. "It allows everyone to get involved no matter your background or what health and wealth you have. And it just allows everyone to get involved and feel welcome,” she explains.
Is this something that would've appealed to Lauren as a child? “For sure,” she says. “When I was younger, we had to pay for everything, whether that's football training or transport… this allows loads of kids to get together and try to achieve their dream.”
“It's a nice feeling to see people come together,” she continues. “I think that's a powerful thing of football. It brings loads of people in the community together.”
Lauren is leaning into her power as a role model. "I just hope that the young girls growing up can see that football can make them feel confident and show them that they can do what I'm doing,” she says.
With the UEFA Women's European Championships 2025 on the horizon in Switzerland – not to mention a gripping WSL title race against Arsenal – Lauren has it all to play for.
“I'm looking forward to hopefully winning more trophies and achieving big things. And then on the outside, just trying to help young girls achieve their dreams and help guide them.”
Lauren James was celebrating the latest free wave of McDonald’s Fun Football sessions this Autumn, available to all children aged 5-11 across the UK. Sign up now for your nearest free session at mcdonalds.co.uk/football.
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