Roy Keane has fired back at Gary Neville’s claim that Djed Spence is in line to start for England at the 2026 World Cup.
The final slots for the 2026 World Cup Finals are almost confirmed, with a few qualifying games still to be played in the next international break in March.
England have already booked their place at next year’s World Cup, and the Three Lions squad continues to feature Tottenham representation.
Djed Spence earned his first call-up earlier this season, and he has remained in the England setup ever since then.
Meanwhile, Dominic Solanke will be hoping he can find form at the right time to boost his chances of being involved.
Djed Spence at the centre of Gary Neville and Roy Keane debate
Given the fierce competition for places in the England squad, a call-up now does not guarantee a spot in the final group, and Djed Spence still needs to work just as hard if he is to keep himself in the picture.
Spence will be competing with the likes of Tino Livramento, Nico O’Reilly and Miles Lewis Skelly for a place in the squad, which leaves very little room for error for the Tottenham full-back.
During a discussion on the England backline, Gary Neville gave his view on who he believes Thomas Tuchel will trust at left-back, and he hinted that Spence offers a tactical profile the England boss might lean on.
Roy Keane, however, did not agree with that assessment and pushed back strongly on Neville’s claim.
Neville said on the Overlap: “I think he is going for Spence.”
“When push comes to shove in a proper game. His centre-backs are probably some of the weakest in the team, I would probably say. I think he is going to go for a more solid back four with Spence tucking in,” he continued.
Keane disagreed and interjected sharply, saying Spence was not as solid as Neville suggested: “Well, you said Spence is a solid player. He is not that solid,” Keane countered.
Neville replied by backing Spence’s stability compared to his competition: “I think he is more solid and stable than the other three,” Neville responded.
Keane completely dismissed the idea: “No chance,” said Keane, who was having none of what the former Manchester United defender had argued.
Neville then added more detail on why he believes Tuchel may trust Spence in certain scenarios:
“As footballers, all three of them are better players than Spence. I just think that when it comes to the tournament, I think if you said to him to just stick to someone who is a good right winger for another team, I think he may put him in a game where push comes to shove,” Neville stated.
Spurs full-back Djed Spence must fight for England spot
Spence is the full-back with the most experience at left-back for England, given the minutes he has accumulated through his career and the variety of roles he has played in different systems.
He is also a versatile option for Thomas Tuchel, who could use him both at left-back and right-back, a quality that may work in his favour as England assesses their defensive combinations.
At the moment, the Spurs defender’s biggest competitor appears to be O Reilly, who is thriving in a Manchester City side in strong form under Pep Guardiola.
Miles Lewis Skelly will need to break into the Arsenal first team before he is seriously considered, while Livramento is currently sidelined and will require time to regain sharpness.
Spence will be hoping that his versatility and his ability to shut down top wingers help his case, but Tottenham’s form as a whole could also play a role in determining the full-back’s fate.