Tottenham’s Djed Spence in line to become first Muslim footballer to play for England

“It’s a blessing – it’s just amazing. I don’t have the words really,” Spence was quoted as saying by BBC after his call-up. “I pray a lot, I give gratitude to God. In the toughest moments of my life, the darkest moments, I’ve always believed that God has always been by my side. It’s a big thing for me, my faith.”

England play Andorra at Villa Park on Saturday before travelling to Belgrade to face Serbia on Tuesday.

Spence hopes his inclusion in the England squad can serve as an inspiration, not just for people of his faith, but young people in general.

“I don’t really feel the pressure for certain things. I just play football with a smile on my face, be happy, and the rest will take care of itself. If I can do it, you can do it. Not just Muslim kids, any child of any faith. Put your mind to something and you can do it,” he exhorted.

Spence has three England caps at the Under-21 level and hopes that experience can be handy as he takes the step up.

“It’s definitely a big deal to play for England, 100 percent,” he said. “The manager has made me feel comfortable. Everyone here has made me comfortable. Also, I’ve played at under-21s, so I know a bit more. But (at the) senior level, I haven’t done it before. The boys have made me feel welcome and taken me in.”

Kenyan-Jamaican roots

Born in England to a Kenyan mother and Jamaican father, the footballer is the younger brother of actress Karla-Simone Spence. He was part of the Fulham academy and started his career with Middlesborough in 2018, before going on loan to Nottingham Forest in 2021, and was part of FA Cup victories over Arsenal and Leicester City, and was regarded as one of the top players in England’s second division. He played a key role in Forest’s promotion to the Premier League, before joining Tottenham in 2022.

But as playing opportunities were scarce, Spence was loaned to French side Stade Rennais, and again to Leeds United and Italy’s Genoa, before returning to Spurs ahead of the 2024-25 season.

According to BBC, he had played just 64 minutes of the Premier League season before December 15, but played 90 minutes in 19 of the subsequent 22 games. He came on as a substitute in the Europa League final win over Manchester United, which put Spurs into the UEFA Champions League. Spence has played every minute of his club’s 2025-26 Premier League season till now, impressing enough to earn his England call-up.