World Cup: England defender Djed Spence to wear protective brace after jaw injury
England defender Djed Spence will play at the FIFA World Cup while wearing a protective facial brace after sustaining a fractured jaw.
The Tottenham Hotspur defender was considered one of the unexpected selections in head coach Thomas Tuchel’s squad, and concerns grew further when he picked up the injury before the tournament.
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In an interview with The Guardian, Spence described the incident as a “crazy” challenge but insisted that he never became overly concerned about the setback.
“I didn’t really think about it. It was painful, but luckily, I play football with my feet and not my jaw, so I was all good,” he commented.
Spence first used the protective brace during Tottenham’s final Premier League fixture, where the club secured a victory over Everton to avoid relegation. He also wore it during England’s 1-0 international friendly triumph over New Zealand in Tampa, Florida, on Saturday. In that match, he provided the cross that led to Harry Kane’s decisive goal.
Although the brace has caused some discomfort, the defender acknowledged that it is necessary as he continues his recovery.
“It’s a little bit uncomfortable, but it is what it is,” the defender said. “I’ve got a broken jaw so I have to wear it throughout the tournament. It’s something I will have to get used to. It’ll be three months until it’s fully healed, so it’s a long time. I’ve been wearing it in training, getting used to it.”
World Cup preps
The Three Lions are fine-tuning their final preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, they recently managed a narrow 1-0 victory over New Zealand in a friendly match played in Tampa, Florida on Saturday night, June 6, 2026.
The decisive moment arrived just before the halftime whistle when captain Harry Kane rose to meet a delivery from Djed Spence and directed a glancing header into the net, giving the Three Lions a lead they would protect until full time.
England will conclude its World Cup preparations with a friendly against Costa Rica in Orlando, Florida, on Wednesday, June 10, 2026, before beginning its tournament journey against Croatia on June 17.
