Djed Spence is wearing a protective mask around his chin in England’s World Cup group stage clash against Ghana tonight. The Tottenham star has been called into the starting XI by Thomas Tuchel, replacing Nico O’Reilly at left-back. He will be wearing protective gear around his chin for the duration of the contest after suffering a broken jaw in May.
Injury from Premier League clash
The former Middlesbrough defender picked up the injury during Tottenham’s Premier League meeting with Chelsea, elbowed in the face by Blues striker Liam Delap. Spence was left furious with the ‘crazy’ challenge that left him with a broken jaw. He has been training with the mask since arriving in the US for the World Cup.
‘It is a little bit uncomfortable – but it is what it is,’ Spence said. ‘I have a broken jaw so I have to wear it throughout the tournament. It is something I will have to get used to. It will be three months until it is fully healed, so it is a long time. It was painful, but luckily I play football with my feet and not my jaw so it is all good.’
First use and tournament outlook
He wore the mask for the first time in the final game of the season against Everton as Spurs picked up the win that saw them avoid relegation to the Championship. He is expected to wear the mask for the entire competition in Mexico, Canada and the United States.
‘I have been wearing it in training, getting used to wearing it in the heat, and trying to break it in properly,’ Spence added. ‘It was a crazy challenge, but it is in the past now. I’ve just got to focus on this tournament now.’
England's World Cup campaign
After beating Croatia 4-2 in their group opener, England can book their place in the knockout stages of the competition with a win tonight. Spence’s inclusion and protective gear are key talking points as the team aims to advance.
