In a moment of chaos on the field, Djed Spence found himself sprawled on the ground, pain surging from his jaw after a collision with Chelsea’s Liam Delap. This incident unfolded during the final minutes of a crucial match in the Premier League season. Spence was focused on the aerial ball while Delap turned, elbow raised, making impact.
Initially, Spence must have been shocked that Delap escaped a red card. “Yeah, it was a crazy challenge,” Spence remarked. As he pondered his role in Tottenham’s last game against Everton, which was vital for avoiding relegation, he also contemplated his aspirations for the World Cup. Did he fear his tournament chances had vanished?
Perhaps Spence was unaware of the severity of his injury, as he continued playing until the final whistle of Spurs’ 2-1 loss—resulting in the need for at least a draw against Everton to secure their Premier League status. His competitive spirit may have overshadowed any concerns about the injury. He confidently stated, “No, not really. It was painful but luckily I play football with my feet and not my jaw. So I was all good.”
Currently, Spence is in the United States with the England national team, gearing up for a warm-up match against Costa Rica in Orlando. This will precede their opening World Cup group clash against Croatia in Dallas. He has managed to participate while sporting a protective jaw brace. The 25-year-old wore it during Spurs’ recent 1-0 victory over Everton, which helped them avoid relegation, and again in England’s first warm-up friendly against New Zealand, where he provided a crucial assist for Harry Kane with a precise cross.
Spence described the brace, saying, “It’s a little bit uncomfortable but it is what it is. I’ve got a broken jaw so I have to wear it throughout the tournament. It’s something I will have to get used to. It’ll be three months until it’s fully healed, so it’s a long time. I’ve been wearing it in training, getting used to it in the heat and just trying to fit in it properly, break it in.”
His selection by manager Thomas Tuchel surprised some observers, who questioned why he was chosen over players like Myles Lewis-Skelly or Lewis Hall for the left-back position. However, Tuchel has consistently included Spence in his line-ups this season, while never opting for Shaw.
Tuchel appreciates Spence for more than just his resilience. He is the fastest player on the World Cup squad and excels in defensive confrontations. Moreover, Spence’s adaptability is a significant asset; although primarily a right-back, he has played on the left side for Tottenham during the past two seasons. With Reece James and Tino Livramento facing fitness challenges, Spence’s versatility has become increasingly valuable.
“I’m naturally a right-back, but I’ve been playing left-back for a couple of years now,” Spence explained. “I’m still learning the position, still trying to get better, but versatility is a good strength to have. I haven’t played on the right for a long time, but it’s still a strong position for me and hopefully I might be out there on the right in this tournament. But, if not, I’m happy to be there on the left. It’s my position now.”
After a solid performance against New Zealand, Spence marked his first assist of the season in his 48th appearance for club and country. He acknowledged the need to contribute more offensively, admitting, “Yeah, definitely. Everyone knows how good I am one v one but going forward is a bit different playing on the left because it’s not my natural side going forward. There’s still stuff I can improve on and I’ve got to try to get more numbers.”
Spence isn’t one to shy away from embracing his skills, even joking online about his ability to contain rival wingers. Following Arsenal’s victory over Spurs in February, they playfully shared a clip of Spence being outmaneuvered by Bukayo Saka, captioned with a padlock emoji. In response to Arsenal’s Champions League defeat, Spence humorously revisited that post days later with a teasing emoji.
As Arsenal players, including Saka, Declan Rice, Noni Madueke, and Eberechi Eze, joined the England squad after their brief break, Spence was asked if he anticipated any banter from them. “No,” he replied. “No jokes, no jokes. We have to focus on the tournament and hopefully it’s going to be a good one. We can joke afterwards.”
