Harry Kane gets emotional as he mentions Tottenham in Djed Spence speech for England
Djed Spence came on to make his England debut during the Three Lions’ 5-0 World Cup qualifying win over Serbia on Tuesday.
History was made as Spence became the first Muslim to play for England.
Featuring for 21 minutes in Belgrade, Spence was assured every time he got on the ball as England made light work of what could have been a very tricky test.
Former Spurs teammate and England captain Harry Kane gave an emotional speech to praise Spence’s achievement, handing over his cap in the process.
Harry Kane praises Djed Spence’s hard work
Following the match, Kane gave a rousing speech before handing Spence the commemorative cap to signify a player’s first appearance for the Three Lions.
Kane said: “I asked to do this because I saw this player three, four years ago at Tottenham, and 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 bit emotional because I know how much it takes to get here, and I saw what it was like; it was tough for you.
“Credit to you, your family, and everyone involved; you deserve this one.”
Kane was then met by a huge round of applause from the rest of the England squad.
- Spence joined Spurs from Middlesbrough in 2022
- Spence made his full Premier League debut in December 2024
- Spence made his England debut in September 2025
Spence has not had an easy journey, with many challenges coming throughout his career.
Spence was criticised by Neil Warnock for his behaviour off the pitch during their time together at Middlesbrough.
Having performed excellently under Thomas Frank at the start of the season, Spence signed a new contract at Tottenham.
Tottenham legend Harry Kane continues to create history for England
Kane has broken records throughout his career, and at 32-years-old, he is still one of the most prolific goal scorers on the planet.
- All-time England top-scorer with 73 goals
- All-time Tottenham top-scorer with 280 goals
Kane scored the opener against Serbia, heading home Declan Rice’s out-swinging corner.
Having left Spurs in 2023, Kane finally won his first trophy of his career after winning the Bundesliga with Bayern Munich.
Kane has been linked with a Tottenham return over the past summer, and Spurs fans are dreaming of seeing the club legend return to N17.
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