Tottenham Hotspur's Djed Spence has said he was "surprised" to learn he could become the first Muslim player to represent England ahead of their two crunch World Cup qualifiers.
The 25-year-old full-back was one of two new players selected by Thomas Tuchel for upcoming fixtures against Andorra and Serbia.
After being told that he could be on the verge of the national first, Spence said: “I’ve seen that.
“It’s a blessing... It’s amazing. I did see something like that.
"I was surprised, really, first ever. It’s just amazing. I don’t have the words really.”
The attack-minded wing-back said he was “maybe, maybe not" feeling the pressure of becoming the England senior men's side's first player of Muslim faith.
He added: “I don’t really feel the pressure for certain things. I just play football with a smile on my face, be happy, and the rest will take care of itself.”
The 25-year-old has repeatedly acknowledged his religion on social media - and has confirmed it plays a significant part of his identity.
Spence said: “First things first, God is the greatest. I pray a lot. I give gratitude to God.
“In the toughest moments of my life, the darkest moments, I’ve always believed that God has always been by my side.
“When I’m winning, when I’m in a good moment, I promote God as well because he’s always been by my side. It’s a big thing for me, my faith.”
The full-back noted that his belief in Islam helped him overcome the “biggest hurdle” of his footballing journey when he was brought to Antonio Conte's Spurs in 2022 after winning promotion to the Premier League with Nottingham Forest.
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Despite Tottenham signing the defender for a £20million fee, Conte said he was a player “the club decided to buy” rather than his own choosing.
Spence said: "I didn’t necessarily feel the love straight away, with the manager and everything.
“I was on such a high going into the club. When I went there, I was on a high, and then I almost came crashing down because of comments from the manager and not playing."
He added that the public bashing from his boss had left him in a "difficult space".
The 25-year-old has also said a potential first England cap can send a powerful message to the country's Muslim youth - and those of all faiths.
He said: “If I can do it, you can do it. Not just Muslim kids, any child of any faith.
"Put your mind to something and you can do it, man."
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