Why is England’s Djed Spence using a protective mask in the 2026 World Cup clash against Mexico?
Despite a challenging domestic season with Tottenham Hotspur, Djed Spence successfully played his way onto England coach Thomas Tuchel’s roster for the 2026 World Cup. With the Three Lions clashing with Mexico in a pivotal Round of 16 battle, the right-back has captured the attention of fans by sporting a highly specialized protective face mask on the pitch.
Spence is required to wear the customized facial hardware after suffering a fractured jaw during the final weeks of the Premier League season. The injury occurred during a physical May 19 clash against Chelsea, when the 25-year-old defender took a hard, stray elbow to the face from striker Liam Delap in the 87th minute of play.
Although he showed immense competitive toughness by finishing out the match, subsequent medical scans confirmed the severe bone fracture. Rather than opting for immediate surgery that would have completely sidelined him from international duty, Spence chose to postpone the operation to fulfill his dream of playing in the tournament.
The custom-molded carbon-fiber mask is engineered specifically to shield his lower jawbone from any secondary impacts that could worsen the fracture. Spence initially trialed the medical gear during Tottenham’s final league match against Everton before successfully breaking it in during England’s pre-World Cup friendlies and their group-stage opener against Croatia.
Djed Spence of Tottenham Hotspur.
Spence on using the mask
When questioned about the logistics of playing with restricted facial gear, Spence remained remarkably casual about the situation: “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.”
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The London native also opened up about grinding through high-intensity training sessions in the summer heat while adjusting to the gear’s constraints: “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 so it is all good. I have been wearing it in training, getting used to wearing it in the heat, and trying to break it in properly. It was a crazy challenge, but it is in the past now. I’ve just got to focus on this tournament now.”
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