Soccer
Was Djed Spence England's breakout World Cup star?
FIFA+: World Cup archive & programmes FREE on DAZN
England's players return home this week having achieved a third-place finish at this summer's World Cup.
The bronze placing is the Three Lions' best tournament since lifting the trophy in 1966, and despite the huge disappointment of what could have been after their semi-final defeat to Argentina, the competition does present some progress under Thomas Tuchel.
There's no question that England's stars over the last six weeks have been Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham, but outside of that duo, the man whose stock has risen more than any others across the finals is Djed Spence.
DAZN/FIFA
From squad to starter
Spence's inclusion in Tuchel's World Cup squad wasn't exactly an eyebrow-raiser, but the Tottenham man was certainly not in everyone's predicted final 26-man party.
A fringe player who faced notable competition in the full-back areas, he was chosen ahead of Lewis Hall, who many believed would go to North America and Trent Alexander-Arnold in that area.
His ability to play on either flank was seen as a major plus for the England boss, an attribute that was only heightened with the withdrawal of Tino Livramento, as Tuchel decided to stick with the full-back options he had and call up Trevoah Chalabah instead.
However, he still wasn't seen as first choice, as evident in their opening game, as Reece James and Nico O'Reilly occupied the full-back positions, with Spence afforded a ten-minute cameo at the end of the win over Croatia.
Then for England's second game, Spence was given a World Cup start. Feeling that his speed would be vital against the athletic Ghanaians, he played an hour in the goalless draw and was arguably the side's most threatening outlet in a frustrating performance by the Three Lions.
James' unspringing injury then opened further opportunities for the 25-year-old and he would go on to play some part in every England game during their run to the semi-finals.
Getty
Key moments
As the tournament progressed, Spence grew into his new position within the squad and his display from the bench against Norway added much-needed speed and directness to the team and should have been awarded a penalty.
That led to a start in the semi-final against Argentina, where again he was one of England's most impressive performers in what turned out to be a dismally disappointing night for the national team.
When Spence put in that perfect last-ditch tackle on Giuliano Simeone, just after England went 1-0 up, it looked like it could have been one of the tournament's most celebrated moments.
In the end it was in vein as the Three Lions crashed out, but of all the players who were part of Tuchel's squad, no one's stock seems to have risen higher than that of Spence.
Getty
North London or not?
Having starred for his country, it would seem natural that Spence would now head back to Tottenham and play a key role in Roberto De Zerbi's rejuvenation of the North Londoners, but it doesn't feel that clear.
The defender's breakout may not be akin to say, Wayne Rooney in 2004 or Owen Hargreaves two years later, but his performances have made suitors sit up and take notice.
With World Cup winner Pedro Porro occupying the right flank and new signing Andy Robertson earmarked as Tottenham's possible first choice on the left, it presents a conundrum for Spence and his future.
Playing the squad game is fine, but with Destiny Udogie in the mix and with Spurs having already recruited two further defenders, there's a fight for a first-team spot.
It's led to links to a possible move for the new England star, with Inter Milan said to be weighing up a bid and others following with interest.
Whatever the outcome, there's no doubt Spence made the most of his World Cup inclusion and now looks set to be a regular fixture in the national team set-up.
Watch the world's best football on DAZN
Now the World Cup is over, there is so much great football still to watch on DAZN.
Premier League: All English top flight matches live and in full in Canada
Serie A: Watch all 380 matches of the Italian league live in the UK and Canada. Also in the US in Spanish language
Champions League: Watch every match of the 2026/27 campaign in Canada. Three matches per round exclusively in the US, in Spanish language
National League: DAZN is the home of the National League, with every game available either live or on-demand, plus selected North and South matches
FIFA+ on DAZN: Watch over 7,000 live matches a year, plus World Cup archive, iconic documentaries, films, and player profiles for FREE
More details and to subscribe to a DAZN football package, click here
