Djed Spence is playing for England with a jaw brace strapped to his face because he is still recovering from a broken jaw that Liam Delap caused at Stamford Bridge on May 19. The 25-year-old said the brace is uncomfortable, but he has to wear it throughout the tournament.
That is why the face protection has become part of his World Cup look now. Spence said the injury will take three months to fully heal, which means he is competing in a major tournament while the bone is still far from mended.
He has not been hiding from it in training either. Spence said he has been wearing the brace there as well, getting used to it in the heat and trying to break it in properly before matches get any bigger.
The injury itself came from what he called a crazy challenge. Spence said it was painful, but added that it is behind him now and that he has to keep going because he plays football with his feet and not his jaw.
Thomas Tuchel has kept selecting Spence in England's starting 11, and the defender said that backing matters. He said Tuchel believes in his quality, and he is determined to repay that trust by keeping his performances steady as England move deeper into the World Cup.
Spence said it has been a difficult season with Spurs, but he believes the run with England has helped turn it around. He called it a huge honour to play for his country and said England managed to get out of a difficult situation, leaving him focused on the quarter-finals and whatever comes next.
The next test mentioned is Norway, with Mr Haaland in their forward line, and Spence will almost certainly arrive with the same brace still in place. Whether he is finally free of it after the tournament is the one question left hanging over a recovery that began in a single heavy challenge and is now playing out on the biggest stage.
