England's Djed Spence Debuts at World Cup Wearing Protective Mask Due to Broken Jaw

England full-back Djed Spence made his World Cup debut against Croatia, playing with a protective mask due to a broken jaw. The 25-year-old Tottenham player came on for Jude Bellingham in the 80th minute of the match held in Dallas, where England secured a 4-2 victory.

Spence sustained the broken jaw five days before the Premier League season finale against Everton, following what he described as a "crazy challenge" involving Chelsea striker Liam Delap. The injury is expected to take three months to fully heal, requiring him to wear the mask throughout the tournament. Spence also wore the mask during the season finale and has been training with it to adapt to its use in various conditions.

Despite a challenging club campaign with Tottenham, which saw the team barely avoid relegation, Spence has maintained his place in Thomas Tuchel's England squad. He previously made his England debut in September during a 5-0 win against Serbia. Spence recently provided an assist for Harry Kane's winning goal in England's 1-0 friendly victory over New Zealand in Tampa.

Spence expressed his gratitude for the World Cup call-up, stating it shows the manager's belief in his quality. He acknowledged the discomfort of the mask but maintained his focus on the tournament.

England is set to continue its preparations for the World Cup with a match against Costa Rica in Orlando. The Arsenal quartet of Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka, Noni Madueke, and Eberechi Eze joined the squad on Saturday and will be available for selection. Spence was also asked about a recent social media exchange involving Arsenal players.

(Source: Yahoo Sports Soccer)