England player Djed Spence confused fans when a new training picture of him wearing a cross dropped online.
Djed is the first Muslim player to represent England National Football Team, who are currently hard in preparation for their quarter final clash against Norway.
The 25-year-old Tottenham Hotspur defender earned his maiden senior call-up under manager Thomas Tuchel, securing his spot in the 2026 FIFA World Cup squad.
The confusion among supporters sparked when PA photographer Bradley Collyer captured Spence topless during a training session at Club Universidad Nacional before England’s win over Mexico in Round of 16.
“One minute he’s a Muslim, next minute he’s a Christian”, wrote one X user as photos showed him wearing an ‘iced-out’ chain necklace featuring what looked like a variation of the Christian cross.
As it turns out, it wasn’t a case of Spence flip-flopping between 2 religions. The pendant on Spence’s necklace wasn’t a traditional Christian cross, but an Ankh.
The Ankh, also known as the “key of life” or crux ansata, is an ancient Egyptian hieroglyphic symbol that represents eternal life. Resembling a classic cross with a teardrop loop at the top, it was frequently depicted in tomb paintings and held by gods, often signifying divine power and the breath of life.
Historically, Egyptian deities were frequently depicted holding the symbol to the lips of mortals, granting them the “breath of life” for both earthly existence and the afterlife.
Today, it remains a popular spiritual and cultural icon and is commonly worn as jewelry, such as necklaces and rings.
While Spence’s exact reasoning remains unknown, his unique first name, Djed, which has deep roots in ancient Egyptian history, might be the inspiration behind the jewelry.
In Egyptian mythology,a ‘Djed’ is a distinct hieroglyph symbol that resembles a pillar or a spine. It represents stability, strength, and durability, and is traditionally associated with Osiris, the Egyptian god of the underworld.
This could explain why he wears Egyptian iconography as a way to embrace the heritage behind his name.
