Harry Kane Emotional as He Presents Djed Spence With England Legacy Cap

Harry Kane became visibly emotional while presenting Djed Spence with his England legacy cap after the full back made his senior debut as England routed Serbia 5-0 in Belgrade on Tuesday.

Spence, 25, came on as a substitute in the match and, in doing so, became the first Muslim to represent the Three Lions, according to the England team’s social account that posted video of the changing-room presentation. Kane, who shared a season at Tottenham with Spence before moving to Bayern Munich in 2023, delivered a heartfelt address in which his voice cracked as he praised Spence’s perseverance.

"We had a new debut today," Kane said in remarks released on England’s X account. "I asked to do this because I saw this player three to four years ago at Tottenham and he had to go through a lot. He had to keep his head up, he had to work hard and now he's an England player so I'm a little bit emotional because I know how much it takes to get here." He added: "Credit to your family, everyone involved... you deserve this one." The presentation took place in England’s changing room in Belgrade and was met with cheers and an embrace between the two players.

Spence told teammates he was "over the moon" and thanked God for the opportunity. The cap capped a rapid turnaround in the defender’s club career. Spence joined Tottenham from Middlesbrough in 2022 for a reported £20 million but saw limited opportunities under then‑manager Antonio Conte, who described him at the time as an "investment of the club," according to comments cited by Spence.

After limited first-team action at Spurs, Spence spent time on loan at Rennes, Leeds United and Genoa before establishing himself under Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou during the second half of last season. Spence has previously spoken publicly about the difficulties he faced after arriving at Spurs and the effect of critical comments on his confidence. "It shatters your confidence a bit. But I am a fighter," he said last week.

The defender also responded to past criticism from former Middlesbrough manager Neil Warnock, who had questioned his mentality, by posting a celebratory photo on social media after success in the Championship play-off final while on loan at Nottingham Forest. "I wouldn't say I have a list (of doubters) or anything," Spence said. "But I do have a mental note of people who doubted me, for sure, and it does feel good to prove them wrong."

Kane’s moment of emotion highlighted the personal significance of international recognition for a player whose rise to the senior squad followed an uneven spell of loans and limited club playing time. England travel and selection plans were not altered by the presentation; the squad completed their fixture in Serbia with a comprehensive victory that strengthened the team’s standing in qualifying competition.