Reece James happy to palm off Donald Trump duty to Harry Kane if England win World Cup

Reece James joked he is happy to sidestep a second meeting with Donald Trump and leave Harry Kane with the US President should England fulfil their World Cup dreams next summer.

The Chelsea captain found himself in the spotlight in July after Enzo Maresca’s Blues shocked Champions League holders Paris Saint-Germain to win the Club World Cup final at MetLife Stadium.

Trump presented James with the trophy alongside Fifa president Gianni Infantino, whose suggestion that the US President moved out the way for the ensuing celebrations was ignored.

There was bemusement among the delighted Blues, including their skipper who will gladly leave the trophy presentation to England captain Kane should they win the World Cup.

Asked if he has a plan regarding Trump should they triumph next summer, full-back James said with a smile: “I don’t have a plan. I’ll leave that to Harry.

“It’s my dream, every young boy or girl’s dream, to be a world champion for their country.

“It’s something I’ve dreamt of since I started playing, since I got selected for England. I feel we could go close.”

James has also issued a warning to his England teammates of "super difficult conditions" at the World Cup having experienced intense summer heat during Chelsea's Club World Cup campaign.

The defender played through conditions at both ends of the extreme weather spectrum, tasked with dealing with a heatwave in Philadelphia as well as thunderstorms in Charlotte.

He said: "Everyone is aware of that. We are trying to prepare as best we can for that. It's super difficult conditions to play in that heat. Especially for us playing in England, there's not anything like that before.

"You feel the heat the minute you step outside the hotel. Once you are out there you adapt the longer you are there, when you are settled in one place and try to limit the things you can. Later kick-offs when it's not so hot and humid, that would definitely help.”

Additional reporting from PA