Nadine Osman
In a landmark moment for English football, Tottenham Hotspur defender Djed Spence became the first Muslim player to earn a senior cap for England during their 5-0 World Cup qualifying victory over Serbia in Belgrade on September 9.
The 25-year-old entered the pitch in the 69th minute, replacing Chelsea’s Reece James, to seal a personal and cultural milestone.
The London-born player, who is of Afro-Guyanese and Jamaican descent, expressed his surprise and pride at the achievement, stating, “I was surprised because I didn’t know I was the first, so it’s a blessing. It’s good to make history and hopefully inspire young kids around the world that they can make it as well.”
Spence’s debut is a significant breakthrough for British Muslims, a community that makes up 6% of the population but remains vastly underrepresented in professional football.
His milestone is specifically related to his faith; as a convert to Islam, he has broken a new barrier for the national team.“It’s a moment of celebration for British Muslims,” said Ebadur Rahman, founder of Nujum Sports, an organisation that supports over 400 Muslim athletes.
“Djed has a big responsibility on his shoulders – not only is he playing for England, but he is playing for Muslims around the world as a role model breaking a barrier.”
The historic moment has been a long time coming, highlighting a lack of pathways and role models. Yunus Lunat, a grassroots coach and former chair of the Football Associations (FA) race equality advisory board, noted, “We just haven’t had the Muslim players coming through. It’s not particularly good that it’s taken until 2025 for a Muslim to play for England.”
Spence’s journey to the national team has been one of perseverance. Of Afro-Caribbean heritage, he is among many Black British players to represent England, but his faith marks a new chapter for the team.
After beginning his career with Middlesbrough and joining Tottenham in 2022, he faced initial challenges, including three loan spells, before cementing his place and featuring in Tottenham’s Europa League final victory last season.
Reflecting on his emotional debut, Spence credited his faith, saying, “Whatever religion you believe in, just believe in God. Days like today are special because of God, for me. The journey hasn’t been easy. But I am officially an England player now and I am over the moon.”
Photo: Tottenham’s Djed Spence makes history as England’s first Muslim senior international in 5‑0 World Cup qualifier win over Serbia on Sept 9. (Credit: England X)
