Djed Spence has been a frequent starter in England’s World Cup campaign, especially since being the only available right back following a Reece James injury.

The Spurs fullback has stood out on the pitch, not just for his performances, but also for the protective face mask that he’s been wearing throughout the tournament. It’s a look that naturally sparks curiosity.

Here is the reason why Spence has been wearing the protective mask.

Why Is Djed Spence Wearing the Mask?

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Spence’s face mask is the result of a minor facial fracture sustained in the weeks leading up to the tournament. The 25-year-old was involved in an aerial duel with Chelsea striker Liam Delap, whose elbow clashed with Spence, although he was able to continue through until the end of that particular game.

Spence took to social media following the game to complain about the challenge with Delap, perhaps unhappy with the Chelsea striker’s aggressive antics resulting in Spence breaking his jaw.

Just five days later, Spence took to the field for Tottenham wearing the face mask, as Spurs secured their Premier League safety on the final day of the season with a win against Everton.

A broken jaw can normally take three months to heal, and with Spence wanting to feature in the World Cup, he opted to wear the custom-fitted jaw guard throughout the competition, as well as in training sessions.

Spence told the BBC: “It is a little bit uncomfortable, but it is what it is. I have a broken jaw, so I have to wear it throughout the tournament. It is something I will have to get used to. It will be three months until it is fully healed, so it is a long time. It was painful, but luckily I play football with my feet and not my jaw.”

“It was a crazy challenge, but it is in the past now. I’ve just got to focus on this tournament now.”

How Does the Mask Help?

Brett Davis via Action Images via Reuters

The mask’s primary function is simple: to offer protection. It shields the affected area from direct blows, accidental elbows, and the kind of incidental contact that can occur during high-tempo matches.

It also offers Spence psychological support, as he might have been hesitant to go into duels without a protective mask, but the guard now reassures him to commit fully. The moulded fit also keeps the affected area stable, reducing the risk of sudden pressure or movement that could worsen the fracture.

It also, of course, means Spence can still play, as without the mask he might have been forced to miss the tournament entirely.

Whilst the mask can feel unfamiliar at first, it shouldn’t affect Spence’s game, and he will be able to adapt quickly. Spence’s performances so far haven’t shown that this new mask is affecting him, putting in consistent performances in the place of injured Reece James, and it leaves Thomas Tuchel with a selection headache for when he has a fully fit right-hand side operating again.

USA legend Brad Friedel has caused a huge stir with comments he’s made about Mexico ahead of their World Cup clash with England on Sunday night. The retired goalkeeper appeared on the latest episode of ‘The Rest is Football’ podcast, where he discussed the crunch Round of 16 tie with Joe Cole and Gary Lineker.

The fixture was set up after El Tri became the first nation since Italy in 1990 to win their first four matches of the tournament without conceding a single goal. Their latest victory came via a comfortable 2-0 win over Ecuador, with Julian Quinones and Premier League striker Raul Jimenez on the scoresheet.

Mexican media are now confident they can beat England, pointing to the Three Lions’ sluggish 2-1 comeback win against tournament minnows DR Congo as evidence of vulnerability. The Azteca Stadium atmosphere, heat, and altitude are all expected to play a major role, and there is every reason for belief that they can extend their impressive Mexico City record to 89 matches, having lost only twice.

Brad Friedel Blasts ‘Average’ Mexico Ahead of England Round of 16 Tie

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There’s even fear among the English population that conditions in Mexico make a win against the Latin American country pretty much mission impossible. However, Friedel has taken a completely different view of things, branding Thomas Tuchel’s next opponents ‘average’ despite their impressive record up until now. He said (watch the full segment):

He continued: “Just look at their games, they’ve created five chances in each of them. But the players are dead after 20 minutes because they are always playing this uphill battle. The altitude is no joke, the heat is no joke, it’s hard. But England are so much better than Mexico. It would be a complete shame if they were knocked out by altitude.”

Friedel’s comments went down well with a lot of Americans, who loved to see his fighting talk. Besides them, however, he has come under scrutiny, with one X user remarking: “What is this man saying. If they are so average, why would you say don’t concede first? Clearly, he hasn’t watched any of their games.”

A second continued: “Have you watched England’s last two performances? You walloper,” as a third labelled him a “Classic American.” Elsewhere, a fourth concluded: “How can you do that? Mexico might win.”

2026 World Cup Hosts Have Overperformed So Far

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Heading into this summer’s tournament, Mexico were the only co-hosts who could consider football to be their nation’s favourite sport, with Canada preferring ice hockey and USA’s favourites being the NFL, NBA, and MLB. But the Maple Leafs beat South Africa 1-0 in their Round of 32 fixture, while the Stars and Stripes beat Bosnia 2-0 in theirs.

It’s been a hugely impressive showing from the duo, with the latter now looking like they have an easy route to the semi-finals, which would mark their finest footballing achievement since finishing third in the inaugural 1930 edition, nearly a century ago. Of course, Mauricio Pochettino must be given a lot of the flowers, but it’s clear that the sport’s perception is massively changing stateside too.

A golfer with six Majors to his name has taken a swing at an article published last week, which claims the seasoned pro had shown nude photos of himself to the former wife of a rival.

It is further alleged that Phil Mickelson, who left the PGA Tour for its controversial rival LIV Golf back in 2022, was thrown out of numerous golf clubs in California due to his conduct toward women, as reported by Skratch.

The article further details which golf courses have supposedly banned the former world number two, with prestigious clubs such as The Farms, The Madison, and The Bridges all said to have rescinded his membership.

Allegations Made Against Phil Mickelson

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The allegations are historic in nature, with Mickelson said to have engaged in friendly texting with Ashley Perez, the ex-wife of another professional golfer Pat Perez, before things reportedly crossed a line with the 56-year-old said to have shown explicit photos of himself to her in 2015.

In describing the alleged 2015 incident, Ashley Perez details the claimed circumstances.

“We were staying next door to Phil, and Pat still had to play in the tournament. I didn’t want it to get messy.”

At the conclusion of the 2015 Barclays tournament, Ashley said she had told her then-husband what had transpired, which led to a breakdown in the friendship between Phil Mickelson and Pat Perez.

Phil Mickelson Responds to Allegations

Mickelson is vehemently denying the accusations, and his lawyer has gone on the attack to dispute the article as one that they view as an “anonymously sourced drive-by shooting.”

In a statement provided to The New York Post, representatives of the three-time Masters winner said: “Mr. Mickelson has never been expelled from a golf club. His membership has never been revoked by a golf club. Those decisions were his alone.”

Hinting at the rift in November 2022 on the Claude Harmon podcast, Pat made his feelings about the incident clear, stating: “I have a different hate for Phil than most people. And people won’t know the story—I’m not gonna go into the story again—but Phil crossed the line with me that is just uncrossable and unforgivable.