At every World Cup, a few new England players enter the wider public consciousness. Premier League fans would have been aware of Elliot Anderson and Djed Spence for a little while now, but those who don’t follow the sport as closely will probably not know a lot about them.
The pair were trusted by Thomas Tuchel as part of his plans for the 2026 tournament, and were heavily involved throughout. Anderson started every match up until the semi-final defeat against Argentina, later coming off the bench as the Three Lions secured third place against France. Spence also featured in every game, and started in the final two matches against Argentina and Les Bleus as he became a cult hero among fans.
Even some of the most knowledgeable football fans, however, may not know that they both have famous siblings.
Elliot Anderson’s Boxer and Love Islander Brother
Whitley Bay-born Anderson came through at Newcastle United but joined Nottingham Forest in 2024. The Magpies will be regretting that as he’s since proved to be a top talent, securing a £116m move to Manchester City.
His maternal grandfather, Geoff Allen, actually played for Newcastle United from 1964 to 1968, but it’s his brother who will be known to fans of British reality TV. Indeed, his brother, Wil Anderson, became a public figure after appearing on the 11th season of Love Island.
Older brother Wil was actually seen in the US this summer with his fiancée Uma Jammeh, having met her on Love Island in 2024. He is also a boxer and notably took on Britain’s Got Talent legend Jordan Banjo in a Misfits boxing bout, losing via a fourth-round technical knockout in May 2025.
Spence’s Sister is a British Actress and Voiceover Artist
Spence currently plays for Inter Milan, having signed this summer. During the World Cup, he was still a Tottenham player, joining the club in 2022 from Middlesbrough after an impressive loan spell at Nottingham Forest. While it took him a while to earn his place at Spurs (going out on loan three times), the 26-year-old impressed enough in 2025/26 to win a spot in Tuchel’s England squad.
His older sister is Karla-Simone Spence, and she is known to the public for being a British actress and voiceover artist. The 29-year-old is most widely recognised for her roles in Blue Story and the ITVX period drama The Confessions of Frannie Langton.
As well as that, Spence’s sister has also featured in the BBC series Gold Digger and Wannabe, and she played Haydee in The Count of Monte Cristo alongside well-known actor Sam Claflin.
While Spence will feel as though he did more than enough to make the England World Cup squad, not everybody was convinced. Former England defender John Terry expressed his concerns over the player, telling Piers Morgan:
“Listen, I’m not his fan. I don’t think he’s a good defender, I don’t think he’s a good footballer. He’s played in a really struggling Spurs side this year.”
By the time England were knocked out at the semis, though, Spence had won many of his doubters over. He even picked up an assist against France in the third-place play-off. He then earned a big-money move to Inter later that summer.
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