- Djed Spence becomes the first Muslim to play for England.
- His story is one of great inspiration to many British Muslim children who aspire to become professional footballers.
Djed Spence was first spotted by Fulham, then after being transferred to Middlesbrough as a teenager, was loaned to Nottingham Forest in 2021, earning EFL Champion player of the month. Subsequently, he joined Tottenham Hotspur for £20 million, and later spent three successive loaned spells at Rennes, Leeds United, and Genoa in 2024. Spence was omitted from Spurs’ Europa League squad last season, only to be reinstated, cementing his place in Ange Postecoglou’s side, helping to deliver the club’s first trophy in seventeen years. His call-up for the England squad is a reward for years of persistence, shaping himself into the elastic dribbler, relentless runner, and physically combative full-back he is today.
His response was one of pleasant surprise and of great inspiration to British Muslim children across the country, “It’s a blessing, it’s amazing. I was surprised, really, to be the first ever. If I can do it, you can do it. It’s [important] not just for Muslim kids but for any child of any faith.”
Islam has always played a profound source of strength in his life, “In the toughest moments of my life, the darkest moments, I’ve always believed that God has always been by my side,’ he said. ‘When I’m winning, when I’m in a good moment, I promote God as well because he’s always been by my side,’ he added. Spence has repeatedly refererred to his faith on social media, confirming that it plays a significant part of his identity.
“First things first, God is the greatest. I pray a lot. I give gratitude to God,” he wrote.
The men’s England team had remained without Muslim representation until now, despite the UK being home to approximately 3.9 million Muslims, making up 6.5% of the total population, according to the Muslim Council of Great Britain. When we compare this to France, we see a stark difference. France’s national team has long included practising Muslims such as Ousmane Dembélé, Paul Pogba, N’Golo Kanté, Ibrahima Konaté, Karim Benzema, and Samir Nasri. And Germany who has counted Mesut Özil, İlkay Gündoğan, Emre Can, Antonio Rüdiger, and Sami Khedira. Think of Spain and Adama Traoré and Ansu Fati come to mind- most recently Lamine Yamal, the first Spanish player to fast during international duty. Even English cricket has been shaped by Muslim players such as Moeen Ali, Rehan Ahmed, and Adil Rashid.
That being said, it’s not that European nations have been free from Islamophobia within the ‘’beautiful game’. The French Football Federation’s decision to ban players from fasting during Ramadan last year is just one example, although they still persist in drawing deeply from talent emerging in Muslim-majority communities across West and North Africa, Turkey, and beyond. Migrants arriving there found a footballing structure that was eager to harness their abilities but their religious identities were sidelined or ignored.
A 2021 study by Birmingham University examined the treatment of British Muslims in grassroots football organisations. The study concluded that the FA must pay more attention to abuse suffered by Muslim footballers. Football fans were noted to be the most abusive towards Muslim players, hurling Islamophobic comments, such as ‘burn the Qur’an.’
Nonetheless, Spence’s breakthrough as the first Muslim to represent England is exciting. It is more than a symbolic milestone and a door opening for those who will follow. Change has been stirring, such as when Arsenal’s Mohamed Elneny inaugurated the Emirates’ first multi-faith prayer room ahead of Ramadan in 2024. We hope there will be further such gestures that signal football to be a sport that is more attuned to the needs and identities of its players.
Spence’s selection may indicate early steps, but they point towards a future in which football in England may reflect the true breadth of the nation it represents (God-willing). It also stands as a reminder that England can celebrate its diversity, offering hope and pride in the face of prejudice towards immigrants and Muslims, and serving as a counterweight to the recent rapid rise of Islamophobia and the far-right.
