Lauren James: ‘I didn’t have many function fashions that regarded like me’

Soccer, particularly within the social media age, will not be at all times a welcoming place for Black girls.

On the Girls’s World Cup in Australia final yr, Lauren was rightly heralded because the “most naturally gifted participant within the nation”. However we noticed how shortly the tides of public opinion may flip. After Lauren was handed a purple card for showing to intentionally step on Nigeria’s Michelle Alozie throughout their spherical of 16 conflict (for which she apologised), she discovered herself on the centre of a turbulent media storm.

Lauren is all too conscious of the disparities between how white and black girls footballers are handled on social media. “When you do one thing that is not excellent or I do not know, say you miss an opportunity it’s best to have put away, typically individuals understand you as having an ‘perspective’ the place somebody of a special color may very well be…” she trails off.

Have you ever discovered that with your self? I ask. “Yeah.”

How did that really feel? “It’s disappointing,” Lauren begins. “We’re all footballers, and we’re all making an attempt to attain and do the identical factor, so we should always all be handled the identical.”

Whereas there’s nonetheless a lot work to be accomplished, Lauren is hopeful about the way forward for girls’s soccer. “We’re getting in the best route. We’re seeing much more ladies play and wish to begin taking part in soccer.”

Lauren can be an envoy for McDonald’s Enjoyable Soccer, which runs free soccer periods to kids aged 5-11 throughout the nation. “It permits everybody to become involved regardless of your background or what well being and wealth you’ve. And it simply permits everybody to become involved and really feel welcome,” she explains.

Is that this one thing that will’ve appealed to Lauren as a baby? “For positive,” she says. “Once I was youthful, we needed to pay for all the things, whether or not that is soccer coaching or transport… this enables a great deal of children to get collectively and attempt to obtain their dream.”

Celebrating scoring her the primary purpose in opposition to Denmark in the course of the FIFA Girls’s World Cup, 2023Justin Setterfield/Getty Photos

“It is a good feeling to see individuals come collectively,” she continues. “I believe that is a robust factor of soccer. It brings a great deal of individuals locally collectively.”

Lauren is leaning into her energy as a task mannequin. “I simply hope that the younger ladies rising up can see that soccer could make them really feel assured and present them that they’ll do what I am doing,” she says.

With the UEFA Girls’s European Championships 2025 on the horizon in Switzerland – to not point out a gripping WSL title race in opposition to Arsenal – Lauren has all of it to play for.

“I am wanting ahead to hopefully successful extra trophies and attaining large issues. After which on the surface, simply making an attempt to assist younger ladies obtain their goals and assist information them.”

Lauren James was celebrating the newest free wave of McDonald’s Enjoyable Soccer periods this Autumn, obtainable to all kids aged 5-11 throughout the UK. Join now in your nearest free session at mcdonalds.co.uk/soccer.