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Spence says proving Warnock and Conte wrong feels good
The Guardian
|September 04, 2025
Defender aiming to prove doubters wrong and be first Muslim to play for England
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 fueled 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, and it does feel good to prove them wrong," Spence said.
This story is from the September 04, 2025 edition of The Guardian.
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