Now part of the rotation and a starter against Ghana, he is in contention for a spot in the starting XI against DR Congo.
You had to rub your eyes to be sure: yes, the Djed Spence who is becoming increasingly important with England is indeed the same one who spent six rather uneventful months at Rennes.
Arriving on loan in January 2023, the left-back didn’t leave a lasting impression in Brittany, playing just eight Ligue 1 matches - seven as a starter - before being benched by Bruno Genesio and then sidelined for good by a knee injury at the end of April.
Loaned out again to Leeds, where he played 7 Championship matches, then to Genoa, where he featured in 16 Serie A games but started only eight. Spence still failed to convince. In 2024, he returned to Tottenham, who had signed him two years earlier.
And in the midst of Spurs’ struggles, finishing 17th and just avoiding relegation, he found his place from mid-December onwards. Having never started a match before and with just 64 minutes of playing time, he took advantage of the festive period and an injury to Destiny Udogie to break into the team.
Suddenly, everything clicked: Spence played 25 Premier League matches, starting 19 of them. Named man of the match against Brentford and Manchester United in February, he cemented his place in the starting XI. Qualifying for the Champions League thanks to a Europa League win (he played just one minute in the final against Man United) allowed him to experience Europe’s top competition. And with a shortage of options in his position, he was called up by the Three Lions and Thomas Tuchel in September 2025.
Christmas Breakthrough
Although his breakthrough came relatively late, at 23, Spence has an explanation. In an interview with Rio Ferdinand in March 2025, he described his journey. "I was coming from Forest (he had been loaned by Middlesbrough and helped Nottingham win promotion to the top flight, ed.), I was going to the Premier League, to a top 6 club, and I thought: 'This is huge!' I was a bit too modest."
And in the dressing room, there are big names who can be intimidating: "I saw stars like Harry Kane, Heung-min Son, and I didn’t want to outshine them. That was probably my biggest mistake: not expressing myself as I should have."
While he gets along very well with James Maddison on all levels, Spence had a tough time with Antonio Conte, who isn’t exactly known for his diplomacy or composure in all situations.
"Honestly, it wasn’t pleasant. I arrived at the club full of confidence. I was buzzing; I’d had a great season. I’d just been promoted to the Premier League with my club. When I got there, I hit a wall. It shook my confidence a bit. I’m young too, so it’s not easy to hear."
Things went much better with Ange Postecoglou, and that changed his whole career: "He did everything right in training, his attitude was exemplary," said the Australian. "He’s a good footballer, I think our style suits him and he’s fully committed. He earned his place in the squad. The rest is up to him, because for me it’s obvious to pick him when I see that."
A Strong Personality
Spence made his breakthrough through adversity, with one motto: "You always have to silence the critics, the doubters, the detractors, the managers."
The first Muslim to wear the Three Lions shirt, the left-back was surprised but honoured after the 5-0 win over Serbia: "I was surprised because I didn’t know I was the first, so it’s truly a blessing. It’s amazing to make history and, I hope, inspire young people around the world to realise what they can achieve too. They can do what I did. No matter your religion, believe in God."
Passionate about fashion like Jules Koundé, and unafraid to refuse to shake hands with Thomas Partey, who has been accused of multiple rapes, Spence admits he tries not to dwell too much on negative comments, even if they can motivate him to "improve every day and become a better person. I want to be the best."
After a season with 40 matches (30 in the league, 10 in the Champions League, including 31 starts), Spence wasn’t affected by his club’s struggles, once again narrowly avoiding disaster. With only 4 caps to his name, he joined the squad and added two more appearances in friendlies against New Zealand and Costa Rica (72 minutes in total).
During the group stage, he always got playing time and started against Ghana (on matchday two. That makes him a serious candidate for a starting spot ahead of Matt O'Reilly, who played against Croatia and Panama. A completely unexpected situation at the start of the tournament.