Djed Spence has said that he keeps a mental note of everyone who doubted his ability to make it, including Antonio Conte and Neil Warnock, and that a first England call-up serves as a fitting rebuttal.
The Tottenham full-back admits it has been “a long journey” to reach the England senior squad, having been sent on loan three times by Spurs before establishing himself in the Premier League last season. Spence was also loaned out at Middlesbrough in 2021 by Warnock, who warned him he could be playing non‑league football in five years unless his dedication improved.
Doubts have fuelled the 25‑year‑old defender’s recovery. He would take added pride in becoming the first Muslim to play for the senior England team should he feature in the World Cup qualifiers against Andorra on Saturday or in Serbia next Tuesday.
“I wouldn’t say I particularly have a list but I do have a mental note of people who doubted me, for sure, and it does feel good to prove them wrong,” Spence said.
“I’ve always had that from a young age, from grassroots football to academy – if you’re going to stay on or get released or get your scholar [contract] – to being a professional. I’ve always had to fight for my position and deal with disappointment.”
Spence had fun on social media with Warnock after winning promotion to the Premier League with Nottingham Forest, whom he had joined on loan from Middlesbrough, tweeting a photo of himself with the playoff trophy, smoking a cigar and tagging Warnock. He reprised the image after winning the Europa League last season.
But there is no love lost between Spence and Conte. In 2022 the then Spurs head coach head coach distanced himself from Spence when the defender arrived from Middlesbrough, calling him “an investment of the club” and someone “the club decided to buy”. Spence ended his first season as a Spurs player on loan at Rennes, his confidence shattered.
He also spent his first season under Ange Postecoglou on loan at Leeds and Genoa, though insists he will always be grateful to Postecoglou because “he made me a champion” with the Europa League triumph.
“The biggest hurdle is when I signed for Tottenham and I didn’t necessarily feel the love straight away,” Spence said. His mum, Aisha, is an avid Spurs fan. “I was on such a high going into the club. I’d done really well, got promoted with Nottingham Forest. I am buzzing, I am going to sign for Tottenham. So to hear comments like that wasn’t nice. It does shatter your confidence a bit. I almost came crashing down because of comments from the manager and not playing. I was in a difficult space.
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“I went out on loan, was playing a bit and then stopped playing. Then I had the Euros that year [2023] with England Under-21s but got injured right before. I couldn’t make it to the Euros, which was obviously another disappointment because I would have loved to have gone and the boys ended up winning as well. Sometimes, in football when things go bad, they go really bad. That was a point in my career where it was really tough. But I am fighter. Fast forward, I am here now, so I am happy.”
Spence’s faith has been important throughout the toughest moments in his career. His pride at being called up by Thomas Tuchel is matched by his amazement when informed he could become the first Muslim to play for the England senior team. “I did see something about that,” he said.
“It’s a blessing, it’s amazing. I was surprised, really, first ever. If I can do it, you can do it. It’s [important] not just for Muslim kids but for any child of any faith. Put your mind to something and you can do it, man.”
