REECE JAMES played it cool as he barely celebrated scoring his first ever England goal.
James was named in the Three Lions starting XI to face Latvia by Thomas Tuchel in what was his first start for the national team in two-and-a-half years.
It's simply MAGNIFICENT! 💥
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) March 24, 2025
A freekick of pure quality from Reece James ✨#ITVFootball | #ThreeLions | #CFC pic.twitter.com/xgz9xca16u
PAReece James barely celebrated scoring his first-ever England goal[/caption]
GettyJames, making his first Three Lions start for 2.5 years, scored a sublime free-kick against Latvia[/caption]
RexThe free kick from 25 yards out curled above the wall[/caption]
ReutersThe ball’s trajectory went very high into the air[/caption]
ReutersJames was then mobbed by team-mates but he did not cast a smile[/caption]
And James repaid the faith of his old Chelsea boss by scoring a sensational free-kick from 25 yards out to break the deadlock.
James stood over the ball just to the right of the centre after Myles Lewis-Skelly had won a foul, with Jarrod Bowen standing over the other side of the ball to feign a left footed effort.
But James made no mistake with his effort as he curled the ball over the wall and into the top right corner of the goal, leaving the goalkeeper gawping in disbelief as it hit the back of the net.
However, while many stars may have wheeled off in jubilant celebration, the Chelsea defender simply walked off to the side and did not even threaten to cast a smile.
James was mobbed by team-mates with Declan Rice holding a beaming smile with his hand over his shoulder.
Fans had a mixed reaction to the muted celebration, with one fan saying: “By all standards a great free kick from Reece James And I love his (no) celebration.”
A second said: “That Reece James free kick goal and celebration against Latvia, cold.”
A third joked: “Reece James. Come for the goal, stay for the celebration.”
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Another said: “Stunning lack of celebration from Reece James there. We love to see it.”
A fifth said: “Lack of celebration very weird tho…”
A sixth added: “Sorry did Reece James used to play for Latvia? No time for that goal with a celebration like that.”
Roy Keane was also full of praise for the goal at half-time in ITV‘s studio, comparing it to David Beckham.
He said: “It was like David Beckham used to do.
“Very difficult to do, to get the angle right, very difficult.”
Harry Kane scored his 71st England goal in the second half after Rice crossed low across the face of goal for the waiting Bayern Munich ace to tap in at the far post.
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