Overview
- Spence suffered a broken jaw late in the Premier League season in a collision with Chelsea’s Liam Delap and has since been cleared to take part in the World Cup with protective equipment.
- The player says the injury will take about three months to fully heal and that he will wear the mask for the whole tournament while adapting to it in training.
- England manager Thomas Tuchel kept Spence in the 26-man squad despite some surprise at the call-up, citing the player's pace and ability to play on either flank.
- Spence trained in the United States with the mask and featured in a recent pre-tournament friendly where he provided the assist for Harry Kane’s winner, showing match readiness.
- The mask and ongoing recovery mean medical teams will monitor contact and comfort, and England must balance Spence’s defensive pace and versatility with any protective limitations during the group stage.