England captain Harry Kane struggled to hold back the tears in an emotional speech to Djed Spence after his ex-Tottenham team-mate earned a first Three Lions cap to become the country's first openly Muslim player. The crushing 5-0 victory over Serbia in World Cup qualifying on Tuesday night was about far more than the scoreline. For Spence, it was the moment dreams became reality.
Spence makes historic England debutKane delivers emotional tributeBreakthrough moment for British Muslim footballersFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱Getty Images SportWHAT HAPPENED?
Spence came on in the 69th minute, replacing Chelsea’s Reece James, and in doing so, made history as the first Muslim player to represent England at senior level. For Spence, the appearance marked the culmination of years of persistence, setbacks, and unrelenting belief in his talent.
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Spence’s path to international recognition has been anything but straightforward. Having started out at Middlesbrough, he secured a move to Tottenham in 2022 with high expectations. But the transition proved far from smooth. His persistence was rewarded last season when he played a key role in Spurs’ Europa League triumph, a turning point that put him back in the spotlight. Fast forward to Belgrade, and the full-back is now a fully-fledged England international, something that once seemed far-fetched.
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Kane, who played alongside Spence during those early Spurs years, presented him with his England legacy cap. Struggling to hold back tears, Kane told his team-mates: "We have a new debut today. I asked to do this because I saw this player three, four years ago at Tottenham. He had to go through a lot, he had to keep his head up, he had to work hard, and now he’s an England player. I’m a little emotional because I know how tough it was for you. Credit to you, your family, everyone involved. You deserve this one."
The man of the hour was understandably lost for words. Spence simply said: "I’m grateful to make my debut. Over the moon. It’s been a long journey but I finally made it. It feels great, man, thank you."
Speaking to the media later, Spence added: "I was surprised because I didn't know I was the first [Muslim], 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. They can do what I am doing."
