LONDON, England – After England beat Norway in the World Cup quarter-finals, Jed Spence knelt on the pitch, raised his hands to the sky and thanked God.
The match on July 11th saw England face arch-rivals Argentina in Wednesday’s semi-final. For millions of spectators, it was the first time an England player offered a Muslim prayer on the field, football’s biggest stage.
Recommended stories
list of 4 itemsend of list
“Being the first Muslim player to represent the Three Lions meant everything to me. It’s something I’ve always wanted since I was a kid. But the good thing is that so many kids can watch it and be inspired by it. I feel like it’s bigger than me and it’s great for generations to come,” the 25-year-old England defender said late last year.
Spence broke his jaw in a game against Chelsea in May 2026 and has been wearing a carbon fiber mask during this tournament.
Spence rose to prominence at this World Cup, coming off the bench and absorbing pressure from managers, developing into a defensive position and becoming the first Muslim to represent England’s senior men’s team. England’s closest rivals in Europe – Germany, France and Spain – have long had Muslim international players in their squads. For England, this milestone is a long-awaited one for many.
“When I found out he was Muslim, I liked him even more,” said Zayn Gondal, a 23-year-old England fan from London who has been following Spence closely. He says he likes Muslim players because “I see a little bit of myself in them.”
“Every time (Spence) played, he came out. He defended really well…I thought he was amazing.”
“He’s a role model.”
Former footballer Riz Rehman knows better than anyone how she got here, as her brother Zesh Rehman was the first Muslim footballer to play in the English Premier League.
During his 15 years at the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA), he built the scaffolding that men like Spence still go to today, including prayer rooms, Ramadan education for staff and reduced break times.
He met Spence through his work at the defender’s club, Tottenham Hotspur, and they sat together during Ramadan after his return from injury.
Lehmann explained that Spence converted to Islam a few years ago, saying, “He was new to the faith.” “He’s a role model, a good character, an inspiration to others, and he should continue to do what he’s doing.”
The two exchanged phone numbers. Since then, Lehmann has been sending messages before and after matches.
“I don’t think this will change him as a person at all. If anything, it will actually bring him closer to his religion,” Lehman said.
“Jed’s journey to England is about more than just football. It is a reminder to young Muslim players and families across the UK that faith and religion do not limit ambition, it only strengthens it.”
“It’s also important to not put the expectations of an entire community on the shoulders of one player. There will always be people who will find fault with others, but we need to remember that everyone is on their own journey of faith, and Jed is no exception.”
Some are just getting to know Spence and his soccer talent.
Shabna Zaheer, founder of The Scene, a South Asian-led collective focused on creating inclusive, alcohol-free spaces for communities, held screenings across London during this World Cup, drawing a crowd of more than 200 to the Brixton venue.
She had never looked closely at Spence before. “I actually didn’t know he was a returnee until I saw a picture of him with his hands up,” she said. “I’ve never seen an English footballer do that.”
That realization arrived intertwined with fear. “I just hope it goes well, because a lot of us, too, when we see someone do something like that, we get a little nervous about what the media will do to them.”
It’s natural for her to be worried. Because after an article about her screening recently went viral on Facebook, most of the comments were about how Muslims should “integrate” and go to pubs if they wanted to socialize.
Daniel Bennett, creative director at The Scene, sees hope despite the tension.
He said representation was important at a time when Muslims and minorities were often discussed “through the lens of division and controversy”, pointing to the racist abuse directed at Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka after the 2020 Euro finals. “I’m not going to pretend that this milestone moment suddenly changes everything.”
Gondal agreed that the limitations are real, pointing out that they go beyond football entirely.
“The way people look at minorities is because they are quite dissatisfied with the way things are in this country. But it’s all about politics. Football can’t fundamentally solve that,” the young England fan warned. “It’s the responsibility of politicians to make the country better because they, like[Reform UK leader]Nigel Farage, impose these views on others.”
Bennett and Rehmann focus on what Muslim cosmopolitans might change in the broader culture. But goalie scout and coach Mark Overall goes back to the question of who is actually scouted and selected in the first place.
He remembers the Southall youth team he coached in 2014 training during Ramadan. Athletes ran hill sessions without food or water, and this was a formative experience for his career. He was impressed and inspired by the group’s work ethic. But he has seen older scouts pass over Asian and Muslim players for reasons he frankly says aren’t much of a reason.
“If you were to choose between a white Christian player and a player from India or Pakistan, they would always choose the white player. There is still some racism at the grassroots level and even at the academy level, mainly from older scouts,” he said.
But Spence’s solid performance in England’s World Cup campaign gives him reason to be cautiously optimistic.
“It changed the idea that anyone can reach any level…It doesn’t matter what your beliefs are. Football is a game for everyone,” Overall said.
This moment also created its own folk footnote.
British singer-songwriter Ben Cipolla penned the tribute song ‘Total Eclipse of Jed Spence’, which follows the player’s journey from his loan spell at French club Rennes to his return to an England shirt, playing on his last name in homage to the 80s hit ‘Total Eclipse of the Heart’.
Spence’s story has already spread beyond the pitch.
