Overview
- Spence broke his jaw in a Premier League match in May and has been using a custom carbon‑fibre face mask while he plays as the injury heals.
- Club and player medical comments put full recovery at about three months, so Spence will continue to wear the protective mask during the tournament.
- He returned quickly to Tottenham after the injury and was selected for England, starting the Round of 32 before delivering a decisive substitute display against Norway.
- In the Norway quarter-final he made multiple defensive interventions, forced a referee review for what looked like a penalty and saw that penalty overturned by VAR.
- Pundits have suggested using Spence higher up the pitch because of his pace and directness, and his World Cup exposure has generated early transfer interest that Spurs may have to address.