Djed Spence’s England milestone resonates with Muslim fans

Djed Spence’s appearance for England at the World Cup has given Muslim supporters a rare point of identification in the senior men’s national team. Al Jazeera reported that the 25-year-old Tottenham defender is the first Muslim to represent England’s senior men’s side.

After England defeated Norway in a World Cup quarterfinal in Miami on July 11, Spence knelt on the field and raised his hands in prayer, according to Al Jazeera. The win sent England into a semifinal against Argentina, and the image of Spence praying drew notice from fans who said they had not seen an England player mark a match that way before.

Spence said late last year that being the first Muslim player to represent the Three Lions “meant everything” to him. He said children could draw inspiration from the moment and called it “bigger than me.”

Al Jazeera reported that Spence has played this tournament wearing a carbon-fibre mask after breaking his jaw against Chelsea in May 2026. His World Cup role has included substitute appearances and defensive work under pressure from his manager, according to the report.

Fans see representation

Zain Gondal, a 23-year-old England supporter in London, told Al Jazeera that learning Spence was Muslim made him like the player more. Gondal said Muslim players can give fans a sense that they see part of themselves on the pitch.

Gondal said Spence had defended well when called upon and described his performances as impressive. For many supporters, Al Jazeera reported, the milestone has stood out because other major European teams, including Germany, France and Spain, have fielded Muslim internationals for years.

Riz Rehman, a former footballer and longtime Professional Footballers’ Association figure, told Al Jazeera that Spence converted to Islam a couple of years ago. Rehman’s brother, Zesh Rehman, was the first Muslim footballer to play in the English Premier League.

Rehman said he had met Spence through work at Tottenham Hotspur, including during Ramadan after Spence returned from injury. He said the defender was “a role model” and should continue showing good character while inspiring others.

Rehman also cautioned against placing the expectations of a whole community on one player. He told Al Jazeera that Spence, like others, is on his own faith journey.

Hope mixed with concern

Shabna Zaheer, founder of The Scene, a South Asian-led collective that runs inclusive alcohol-free events, told Al Jazeera she had not known Spence was a Muslim convert until she saw the prayer image. The Scene has hosted World Cup screenings in London, including crowds of more than 200 at a Brixton venue, according to Zaheer.

Zaheer said the visibility brought pride but also anxiety over possible media and public reaction. She told Al Jazeera that after coverage of her group’s screenings spread on Facebook, many comments told Muslims to “integrate” or go to pubs if they wanted to socialise.

Daniel Bennett, The Scene’s creative director, told Al Jazeera that representation matters when Muslims and minorities are often discussed through division or controversy. He pointed to the racist abuse aimed at Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka after the 2020 European Championship final, while saying one milestone would not change everything.

Mark Overall, a goalkeeping scout and coach, told Al Jazeera that Spence’s rise could shift assumptions about who belongs at elite level. Overall said he had seen older scouts pass over Asian and Muslim players for no good reason, and described racism as still present at grassroots and academy levels.

Overall said Spence’s England run shows that beliefs should not decide how far a player can go. He told Al Jazeera that football is a game for everyone.

The moment has also reached popular culture. Al Jazeera reported that UK singer-songwriter Ben Cipolla has written a tribute song, “Total Eclipse of Djed Spence,” about the defender’s path from a loan spell at Rennes to the England team.

This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.