Tottenham Hotspur star Djed Spence earned his first England cap as the Three Lions hammered Serbia 5-0 on Tuesday night.
Thomas Tuchel still needs to convince many England fans, but the 5-0 thrashing of Serbia was arguably the best performance of his reign so far.
Harry Kane, Noni Madueke, Ezri Konsa, Marc Guehi and Marcus Rashford were all on the scoresheet in a fine England victory.
Tottenham Hotspur defender Djed Spence made his England debut, coming on as a substitute for Chelsea right-back Reece James in the second half.
Spence recently signed a new contract and has now taken another huge step forward in his career.
Harry Kane praises Tottenham Hotspur’s Djed Spence
Spence joined Tottenham from Middlesbrough in 2022, but struggled for first-team action under Antonio Conte.
Spence then endured mixed fortunes on loan at Rennes, Leeds United and Genoa, with few backing him for Tottenham stardom.
The 25-year-old salvaged his Tottenham career last season, convincing Ange Postecoglou of his quality before also impressing Thomas Frank.
Spence’s displays at left-back have really caught the eye, and his rise has left England captain Harry Kane impressed.
Kane congratulated Spence on his England call-up last week and has now shared an emotional message after the Spurs star’s first cap.
As captured on England’s official X account, Kane admitted that he asked to be able to give Spence his first England cap.
Kane watched Spence go through ‘a lot’ at Tottenham, noting that life in North London was ‘tough’ for the defender.
Spence came through it all to become an England international, with Kane praising him for a deserved Three Lions cap.
“We had a new debut today,” said Kane.
“I asked to do this because I saw this player three or 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.
“He fully deserves this. 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, everyone involved, you deserve this one,” he added.
Tottenham Hotspur almost made a big mistake over Djed Spence
Spence’s turnaround at Tottenham is truly remarkable, and it almost never happened.
The Daily Mail reported in January 2024 that Tottenham had immediately put Spence up for sale after returning from a dismal loan spell with Leeds.
Spence instead joined Genoa on loan, and Tottenham will be very, very relieved that they didn’t find a buyer after all.
That transfer window was a real sliding doors moment for Spence, and his displays over the last year have deservedly landed him in the England squad – and in contention for the World Cup next summer.