“Last night, we were walking round the pitch and there’s the player of the match sign as you walk out. I said: ‘Have a look at that, kid, because that will be you tomorrow night,’” says Rachel Daly, after England’s dazzling 6-1 defeat of China on Tuesday confirmed passage to the last 16 of the World Cup at the top of Group D.
Who was walking with her? Does that question even need asking? It was Lauren James, the new jewel in the crown of Sarina Wiegman’s Lionesses. About 24 hours later, James would be clutching her second player of the match trophy in two games, having bagged two goals and three assists against China, denied a World Cup hat-trick only by a controversial VAR decision.
