Djed Spence releases emotional statement as England squad announced for World Cup
Djed Spence has released an emotional statement following the Tottenham Hotspur man's call-up to England's World Cup squad.
On Friday, Thomas Tuchel announced his first tournament squad as England boss, with his appointment made with a view to finally getting the Three Lions over the line in a major competition.
Alongside Reece James, Tino Livramento and Nico O'Reilly, Spence makes up one of the fullback roles, with his versatility potentially playing a big role across the pond.
Spence joined Tottenham from Middlesbrough in 2022, initially struggling to make an impact.
Though, he has developed into a more than capable fullback at Premier League level, and is proving his initial doubters wrong with his England involvement.
Djed Spence emotional after England inclusion
Called up for the first time back in March, the 25-year-old would feature across both England friendlies against Uruguay and Japan.
Tuchel has come under fire across the nation due to the omissions of Trent Alexander-Arnold and Lewis Hall, but Spence has proven to be a more than capable deputy.
Reacting to the news, the fullback took to Instagram to reveal an emotional message.
"I dreamed about moments like this," said Spence. "One of the greatest days of my life, to be called up to represent my family and country at the World Cup.
"I've been down a ROUGH road, I've always kept going even when the odds were against me, even when no one believed in me, I never gave up."
After an initial tough period at Spurs, Spence has worked incredibly well to become a key member of the squad.
While the form of Pedro Porro has kept him out of his more natural right back position, he has proven incredibly versatile - playing off both the left and right for the Lilywhites.
And with this in mind, England boss Tuchel loves him.
What has Thomas Tuchel said about Djed Spence?
Speaking at his press conference on Friday, Tuchel faced questions about certain omissions, with the likes of Cole Palmer, Adam Wharton and Phil Foden missing out alongside the aforementioned Alexander-Arnold and Hall.
Though he clearly has a plan ahead of the tournament, with Spence a part of this.
"Spence loves defending," said Tuchel. "He is the fastest player in our squad. He is a bit of a special full-back for us as he can play both sides."
In the Premier League this season, Spence has only been beaten by Jackson Tchatchoua of Wolves and Gabriel Martinelli of Arsenal in terms of top speed, with this a crucial trait in his defensive game.
He may not be the first name on the teamsheet, given the form of O'Reilly and James, but he is someone who can hit high standards on either side of the backline, with this versatility clearly something that Tuchel appreciates as his squad travels Stateside.