Tottenham star Djed Spence makes personal England history as critics further silenced

Djed Spence was handed a chance to silence his critics with the Tottenham Hotspur man starting England's goalless draw against Ghana.

The full-back was one of the many much-discussed and controversial picks by Thomas Tuchel for the 2026 World Cup.

Many believed he had not earned his place on the plane, with fullbacks Trent Alexander-Arnold, Luke Shaw and Lewis Hall all left at home.

But Spence was the man chosen and had plenty of pressure building on him ahead of the game.

Spence endured a difficult campaign for Tottenham, where he helped the Lilywhites narrowly avoid relegation.

And plenty of eyes would have been on his performance in the second group stage game against Ghana.

Could Djed Spence push for more regular England starts?

Spence has certainly done his World Cup chances no harm after playing 66 minutes for England against Ghana.

The Tottenham man had the difficult role of keeping tricky winger Inaki Williams quiet, and he did just that.

The Athletic Club ace boasts plenty of pace, but so does Spence. One of the main reasons that Tuchel selected him.

Against Spence, Williams did not attempt a single dribble, and he also lost all of his duels, those were not all against the full-back.

Spence himself was only involved in one duel, which he won giving him a 100 per cent win rate.

The Spurs defender was also tidy in possession, misplacing just two of his 45 passes - a 96 per cent rate.

He also made 10 passes into the final third and earned a FotMob rating of 7.1 for his display.

After that showcase, it would not be surprise to see Tuchel begin to trust him more.

Especially against those low-block sides that require pace on the outside to open them up.

Spence makes England history on debut

While his performance should be praised, the Tottenham man was also part of some history-making news.

The Englishman became the first Muslim to start at the World Cup for the Three Lions.

That is an achievement to certainly be proud of.

While many criticised his selection, he has so far done nothing to suggest those claims were correct.

Now, he will look ahead to Panama as he eyes another start for his nation.