The Inter Milan wing-back grew up in Peckham, where his early football memories were formed away from the professional game. Speaking to the club’s official channels, Spence recalled the park where he first began kicking a ball and the player he tried to imitate as a youngster.
“I come from Peckham, a neighbourhood in south London. That is where I started playing. I think the first place where I kicked a ball wasn't a proper pitch, but Peckham Rye Park.
“I really liked Cristiano Ronaldo when I was little. I tried to imitate him when I played for Peckham Town. My first goal came a long time ago, but I remember that I scored it with a bicycle kick. At that moment I felt so much energy, I ran around the pitch without stopping.”
Spence said he never had doubts about the career he wanted to pursue, explaining that his ambition to become a professional footballer was clear from his first experiences on a pitch.
“I always wanted to be a footballer. I realised that from the first time I set foot on a pitch.”
One person who played a particularly important role in his development was Steve Cooper, under whom Spence enjoyed a defining period at Nottingham Forest. Their work together culminated in promotion to the Premier League, a landmark achievement in the defender’s career.
“Steve Cooper: with him at Nottingham Forest we won promotion to the Premier League, the first truly important victory of my career.”
Now playing in Italy with Inter, Spence has found a new footballing environment and has spoken positively about his experiences in the country. His best performance since arriving came against Feyenoord, when he impressed in the Champions League.
He also revealed that his favourite player in Inter’s history is another Brazilian whose impact at the club remains enormous.
“My favourite player in the history of Inter is definitely Ronaldo, Il Fenomeno. I really like Italy. When I played at Genoa I was struck by the positive vibes of this country, the climate and the excellent food.”
Spence’s appreciation of Italian football is rooted in his previous experience in Serie A, and he appears to have settled comfortably into life in the country after joining Inter.
The Englishman also reflected on representing his national team at the World Cup, where England finished third. While the achievement was significant, he admitted that the squad had wanted to go further.
“It wasn't the result we wanted. We were aiming to win. England had only done better in 1966, when they won the World Cup. We had the opportunity to make history. It was a beautiful emotion.”
For Spence, the memories of Peckham, the influence of Cooper and the players who inspired him remain important parts of a journey that has taken him from south London to one of Italy’s biggest clubs.