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Jun 09, 2026
Analyzed by Llama- 4 Scout 17B 16E Instruct

Djed Spence Talks Up England's World Cup Hopes Despite Broken Jaw

AI Summary
Tottenham full-back Djed Spence discusses his World Cup hopes despite suffering a broken jaw in a Premier League match against Chelsea. Spence remains optimistic about his chances and is set to play in the tournament with a protective jaw brace.

The Incident and Injury

In the disorientation of the moment, as Djed Spence lay on the turf, the pain radiating from the left side of his jaw, it was tempting to wonder what flashed through his mind. The Tottenham full-back had been cleaned out by the elbow of Chelsea’s Liam Delap in the closing stages of the penultimate game of the Premier League season.

Spence's World Cup Ambitions

Spence is in the US with the England squad, looking ahead to Wednesday’s final warm-up game against Costa Rica in Orlando and the opening World Cup group match versus Croatia in Dallas on the Wednesday after that. He has made it with the assistance of a protective jaw brace.

The Road to Recovery

  • Spence suffered a broken jaw in a clash with Chelsea's Liam Delap.
  • He played on until the end of Spurs' 2-1 defeat, despite the injury.
  • Spence will wear a protective jaw brace throughout the summer.

England's Prospects

Spence’s selection by Thomas Tuchel was met with surprise in some quarters. Tuchel likes Spence for reasons that go beyond his toughness. Spence is the fastest player in the World Cup squad. He is excellent in defensive one-on-ones. And then there is his versatility; Spence is a right-back by trade but he has been repurposed by Spurs on the left side in the past two seasons.

The Future Outlook

Spence played well against New Zealand and he picked a good time to produce his first assist of the season in his 48th game for club and country. He is also yet to score and he knows he must do more in attacking terms.