Tottenham Hotspur’s fullback DJED SPENCE was able to make his debut by winning his first senior England call for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Andorra and Serbia
DJED SPENCE will make his own history by becoming the first Muslim in the UK. Tottenham defender Spence, 25, revealed how pride he is in being a pioneer and how his faith helped him overcome even the most difficult times of his career.
The Football Association also recognizes that the first openly Muslim player is at the point where he will represent the senior England team ahead of the World Cup qualifiers at Andorra and Villa Park on Saturday. Spence said: “It’s a blessing, it’s amazing.
“I saw something like that, and I was really surprised.
“If you can do that, I think you can do that. You can do that. Not just a Muslim child, not a child of any faith. Put your heart on something, you can do it, man.
“It’s definitely a big deal to play 100% England. I don’t feel pressured by certain things. I just play football with a smile on my face and I’m happy and I’ll take care of myself for the rest.”
read more: Premier League Star Switches International Loyalty After Years of England Snubread more: The English star shares true feelings with Thomas Touchel after rejecting the request
Spence endured a roller coaster career, taking him from Middlesbrough to Nottingham Forest to Tottenham, and endured the Lawn Spells with Rennes, Leeds and Genoa. It’s safe to say that there was a crash on the road on his journey – especially with highly critical comments from former Spurs boss Antonio Conte and former Middlesbrough manager Neil Warnock – but his religion hugged him.
Spence said: “First of all, God is the greatest. I pray a lot, thank God. That’s a great thing for me, my faith.
“In the harshest, darkest moments of my life, I always believed that God was by my side. When I win, when I am in a good moment, I promote God because he was by my side too.”
Spence joined Tottenham in 2022 and despite actually establishing himself under Ange Postecoglou last season, fans have always supported him. His energy, drive and determination from both full-back positions made him a solid favorite, and supporters called on him to play even when he wasn’t starting out.
It brings a smile to the support of his three sisters, his father Simon and his No. 1 fan, Mama Aisha, who had tried to run him everywhere as a child. Now Spence is enjoying the reward and he says that his spirit and determination have passed through him.
Spence said: “I’m not going to say a tough journey, but it was a long journey. There were good times and bad times, but when you trust yourself and trust God, I think everything is in line with itself.
“Sometimes, when things get worse, they get really bad. I was injured before the euro, I rented out, played, and then stopped playing…and they loved it.
“It was my plan to always reach the senior team. It may not have been very close to my vision. It’s a blessing.”
Conte was the lowest point in Tottenham, but it was Post-Coglo that helped him win the Europa League, and he celebrated his now traditional self smoking a cigar. Spence is also very positive about his new Spurs boss, Thomas Frank.
Spence added: “I feel like I’m getting better every day, I feel like I’m getting better, it’s just a focus, it’s a sponge, listening to the coaches and staff.
“It’s something you’re willing to learn. I want to be the best in my position. You have to keep working hard and keep giving advice. You have to maximize everything.
“Ange Postecoglou made me a champion, so I’m always grateful to him. And he was a good manager, a good guy. I have nothing else to say about it.
“Thomas Frank is amazing, he’s amazing to me, he’s confident enough to satisfy me, he’s very open and just the manager of Earth. I think he’s amazing to the club.”
Join the new WhatsApp community and receive a daily amount of mirror football content. We also treat community members with special offers, promotions and advertising. If you don’t like our community, you can always check out. If you are interested, you can read the privacy notice.
Sky Sports Discount Premier League and EFL Packages
£49
£35
Sky
Get the deal here
Sky has significantly reduced the prices of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundles ahead of the 2025/26 season, saving its members to £336, and offering over 1,400 live matches in the Premier League, EFL and more.
Sky will show at least 215 live Premier League matches next season, showing an even greater increase of up to 100.
