England forward Lauren James has opened up about the pain, pressure and prejudice she faced during Euro 2025, revealing that injury and criticism overshadowed what should have been one of the proudest moments of her career.
The 23-year-old Chelsea star started all six matches in Switzerland as the Lionesses defended their European crown, but recurring fitness issues meant she was unable to deliver her best football in the latter stages. James was forced off at half-time in the semi-final against Italy and again before the break in the final win over Spain.
Speaking at Chelsea’s Cobham training ground, where she is still in a protective boot, James explained how difficult it was to carry the weight of expectation while playing through injury.
“I was obviously fighting to be fit for the Euros, then suffered another injury in the quarter-finals, and tried to play on,” she told BBC Sport. “Then people assume you’re not trying, but at the end of the day I was in a ridiculous amount of pain. That’s what caused me to come off in the semi-finals and before half-time in the final.”
James admitted she knew something was wrong during the quarter-final tie against Sweden but stayed on because England had no substitutions left. “It was a Euros semi-final, I didn’t think it was a major injury so I tried to play [against Italy]. Then in the final, I couldn’t not play. Obviously we won, but I didn’t feel great. I couldn’t dribble, I couldn’t run properly.”
Despite the historic back-to-back triumphs, the forward confessed her own struggles muted the joy of victory. “It was an amazing achievement, but during the last two games I wasn’t able to help the team,” she said. “To also get negative comments, from fans and the public – sometimes people are too quick to judge.”
The criticism, often harsh, was not easy to ignore. “I’d see things like ‘England are playing with 10 men, she’s lazy, she’s not trying’. I’m like, I’m injured! It does put you down.”
On top of physical pain and criticism, James revealed she also carried the fear of racist abuse during England’s penalty shootout win over Sweden. She saw her own spot-kick saved by goalkeeper Jenny Falk and admitted she felt enormous relief when team-mates Beth Mead, Alex Greenwood and Grace Clinton also missed.
“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,” she said, referencing the abuse directed at Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka after Euro 2020.
“As sad as it sounds, it was the biggest relief ever that other players missed. Who would have thought that? Normally you always want your team-mates to score. But luckily we missed and got through. It was not a nice moment – you’re playing for your country, you should feel the support from the fans. It shouldn’t matter what colour you are.”
England team-mate Jess Carter has previously spoken of the racist abuse she received during the tournament, saying she feared James would suffer “astronomical” levels if her miss had proved decisive.
Despite the challenges, James remains proud to represent her country. “It’s where I’m from, where my mum is from. I always dreamed of playing for England. We’ve done great things – back-to-back Euros – and I want to be part of every one going forward.”
Attention now turns to the club season, though James is unlikely to feature at the start as she continues her recovery. Chelsea, under Sonia Bompastor, face Manchester City in their Women’s Super League opener on Friday, eager to build on last year’s domestic treble.
European glory remains the missing piece, however, especially after Arsenal’s triumph over Barcelona in the Champions League final. “Arsenal winning it last year shows the standard of English football,” James noted. “It makes us feel, yeah, we need to go and win it.”
For James, though, the immediate goal is simply to regain fitness – and the chance to play without pain or judgement.
