As Djed Spence lay on the pitch, grappling with intense pain radiating from his jaw, one could only speculate what thoughts crossed his mind. The Tottenham full-back had just been struck by Chelsea’s Liam Delap in a brutal clash during the final moments of a crucial Premier League match. Spence was focused solely on the aerial ball, while Delap, aware of his presence, swung his arm around recklessly.
Initially, Spence must have been astonished that Delap escaped a red card. “Yeah, it was a crazy challenge,” he remarked. What were his thoughts regarding his participation in Spurs’ last match against Everton, pivotal for their survival? Was he concerned that this injury might jeopardize his World Cup aspirations?
Perhaps Spence was unaware he had suffered a broken jaw; he continued to play until the final whistle of Spurs’ 2-1 loss, a result that left them needing at least a draw to avoid relegation. Alternatively, his competitive spirit may have overshadowed the pain. Nonetheless, his response was quite revealing, indicating he was undeterred. “No, not really,” he stated. “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 team, preparing for a warm-up match against Costa Rica in Orlando and the World Cup opener against Croatia the following Wednesday. He is managing his injury with a protective jaw brace, which he wore during Spurs’ 1-0 victory over Everton, a crucial win that preserved their Premier League status. He also donned it during England’s first friendly against New Zealand in Tampa, where he assisted Harry Kane’s goal. Spence plans to keep wearing it throughout the summer tournaments, maintaining a calm demeanor.
“It’s a little bit uncomfortable but it is what it is,” Spence explained. “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.”
Thomas Tuchel’s decision to include Spence surprised some fans who expected Myles Lewis-Skelly or Lewis Hall to take the left-back spot, or even Luke Shaw. However, Tuchel has consistently selected Spence for every squad this season. Lewis-Skelly was initially part of the squad, as was Hall in March, but Shaw has yet to feature.
Tuchel values Spence for reasons beyond his resilience. He is the fastest player in the World Cup lineup and excels in one-on-one defensive situations. His adaptability is also noteworthy; although primarily a right-back, he has successfully played on the left side for Spurs over the past two seasons. With Reece James and Tino Livramento facing fitness concerns, Spence’s versatility becomes even more valuable.
“I’m naturally a right-back, but I’ve been playing left-back for a couple of years now,” said Spence. “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.”
Spence performed admirably against New Zealand, marking a significant moment as he registered his first assist of the season in his 48th appearance for club and country. However, he is yet to find the back of the net and recognizes the need to enhance his offensive contributions. “Yeah, definitely,” he acknowledged. “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 is not one to shy away from showcasing his achievements and has humorously engaged with fans on social media regarding his defensive capabilities. Following a derby defeat to Arsenal in February, the club humorously posted a video featuring Spence being outmaneuvered by Bukayo Saka, captioning it “locked up” alongside a padlock emoji. Spence cleverly responded to Arsenal’s subsequent Champions League penalty loss to Paris Saint-Germain, posting a comment on their earlier tweet with a pair of emoji eyes and an open padlock.
As Arsenal’s players, including Saka, Declan Rice, Noni Madueke, and Eberechi Eze, joined the England squad after being given a break, Spence was asked if he anticipated any playful banter. “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.”
