Reece James has explained why he didn’t celebrate after scoring a free-kick to give England the lead against Latvia on Monday night. The match marked his first start for the national team since late 2022, and he marked the occasion with an impressive performance, capped off by a fantastic goal in the first half.
It was a triumphant return to the starting lineup after a long period of dealing with injuries. However, despite the significance of the goal, James remained reserved in his celebrations. While his teammates gathered around him to celebrate, he kept his composure and later explained his reaction in a post-match interview.
James Didn’t Celebrate Because He Was Surprised
James admitted he didn’t think he would score. After putting England ahead in the first half, the Three Lions went on to comfortably defeat Latvia, with goals from Harry Kane and Eberechi Eze sealing the win for Thomas Tuchel in his second match in charge. The free-kick was the standout moment of the game, and after the match, James was interviewed by the ITV team.
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He was initially asked about Tuchel’s influence at Chelsea and what England fans could expect from the manager’s tenure with the national team. However, the conversation soon turned to his goal and the lack of celebration. James explained that he was simply surprised the ball found the net and thought the goalkeeper might have done better. However, after seeing a replay, he revised his opinion. Speaking to ITV, he said:
“I saw the wall and felt I could bend it around, and thankfully, I managed to get it in. I was a bit surprised it actually hit the net. I thought the keeper could have maybe gotten there, but after watching the replay, it was probably tough for him.”
