James: 'This is what dreams are made of'

Reece James admits England’s run to the FIFA World Cup 2026 semi-finals is “what dreams are made of” as the Three Lions prepare to face Argentina.

Thomas Tuchel’s men battled their way past Norway in the quarter-finals on Saturday night, coming from 1-0 down to win 2-1 after extra-time courtesy of Jude Bellingham’s brace.

James, who returned to action from the bench against Ståle Solbakken’s side, played a key role in defence and midfield after recovering from a hamstring injury picked up earlier in the tournament.

And after helping the Three Lions reach their fourth World Cup semi-final, the Chelsea star opened up on what their progress in North America means to him

“This is what dreams are made of,” James said on the latest episode of Lions’ Den Connected by EE.

“Everyone from a little boy dreamt of playing in a World Cup and this is part of the process.

“To play in a semi-final against one of the best nations.. we’re delighted to be here.”

Asked whether he’s able to enjoy moments like Bellingham’s double against Norway by host Andrew Mensah, James added: “It’s difficult in games. You might get 10 seconds to enjoy the moment then it’s gone.

“As soon as yesterday’s game finished, the focus is forward now. We don’t look back. We have a new challenge in a few days and we’re preparing for that already.”

England will take on Argentina in the last four in Atlanta on Wednesday, with the winners going on to face either France or Spain in Sunday’s showpiece final.

The South Americans are the defending world champions, but James is confident he and his team-mates can deal with the pressure of facing Lionel Messi and Co on football’s biggest stage.

“[It] Comes with experience,” said James. “Higher stakes the game is, usually the more pressure.

“But at the end of the day, this is what we’ve been doing for 20/25 years, playing football. So the fundamentals are the same but the prize is slightly different.”

James started England’s opening win over Croatia and the draw with Ghana, but was forced to miss the games against Panama, DR Congo and Mexico through injury.

Reflecting on his return against Norway, he said: “It’s good to be back out there with the boys. Picking up an injury in tournament football is always a race against the clock.

“The medical team did everything they could and I applied myself, and I was happy I was back out there yesterday.

“I know what I need to do when I play midfield and full-back. It’s a quick switch so I just try and help the team wherever I play on the pitch, similar to Djed [Spence].”

Spence was alongside James on the latest episode of Lions’ Den, and he discussed how he’s feeling during his first major tournament after impressing off the bench against Norway.

“I feel good, I feel blessed,” he said. “I’m happy. I just want to make history with this team, with this country. Like you say, it’s not a bad debut!

“I feel sharp. Happy to do my part. I’m here to make a difference and that’s what I’m trying to do. I’m pleased.”