For the talented full-back, that would present itself in the form of testing his defensive skills against the best in the world, and few would present a bigger challenge than Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal.
TNT Sports’ Peter Crouch sat down with the Tottenham defender to dissect his most prominent moments, and what is on the horizon.
“Lamine Yamal is a top player. Yesterday, in the first two minutes, what he did was crazy. That’s a player I would love to play against.
“If it happens one day, I guess we’ll see who comes out on top.”
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‘Look at this!’ – Yamal schools PSG stars with outrageous dribble
Video credit: TNT Sports
If a clash with Yamal does not present itself in the Champions League, it could perhaps come next summer at the 2026 World Cup, for which both Spain and England are expected to qualify.
“That’s probably one of the biggest things in my career and my life, one of my proudest moments,” Spence said.
“To represent your country, not a lot of people get to do it. They gave me my cap and it had a number. I remember H (Harry Kane) telling me that’s how many have made their England debut.
“You would have thought it’s more people; my cap was 1295. If you put that into perspective, it’s not a lot of people.”
Spence was signed by Spurs in 2022, and following loan moves at Rennes, Leeds, and Genoa, he broke through under Ange Postecoglou in the 2024/25 season. Kane had left the club by that point, but it did not stop the England captain from holding back tears as he presented Spence with his England cap.
“It was an emotional moment a little bit. He’s (Kane) seen my journey. I went through some tough times here earlier on in my career at Tottenham. It was a nice moment and a nice speech from him. He didn’t have to do it, but that shows the kind of character he is as well.
“Every kid’s dream is to play in the World Cup. It would be a great thing, but I feel like, for me, I’ve just got to take it game by game, keep putting high performances in and the rest will take care of itself.”
In earning his national team debut, he also became the first Muslim player to play for England, and whilst he is grateful for that individual accolade, it is the potential impact of it which excites him even more.
“It’s a great honour,” Spence added. “I was asked that question a lot before and, of course, I’m happy, but I feel like the most important thing and what makes me more happy, is it’ll inspire a lot of kids and generations to come.
“They can look at me, I guess, and think he’s done it, so surely I can do it as well. It’s bigger than me as an individual and if it inspires kids and generations to come, that’s the most important thing.”
From wanting to challenge himself against the likes of Yamal to having World Cup aspirations, Spence clearly does not lack confidence and self-belief.
When asked by Crouch if he ever doubted he could make it in the Premier League, Spence succinctly replied: “Never.”
“I’ve always believed in myself and never lose my self-esteem,” he continued. “I’ve always known I’d be where I am right now. I envisioned it and seen it. It was never a doubt in my mind really.
“It’s just about getting the moment and when you get it, take it. It was never a doubt in my mind that I’d be here today. It’s just about the journey and getting there, and I’ve finally made it.”
