England right-back Djed Spence reported a muscular niggle ahead of the team’s last-16 World Cup tie against Mexico on July 5, adding yet another chapter to what has become a genuinely cursed position for the Three Lions.
Spence, who started in England’s Round of 32 victory over DR Congo on July 1, had already been playing through a broken jaw sustained earlier in the tournament. His latest setback compounds manager Thomas Tuchel’s defensive headaches, with other right-back options like Reece James already dealing with injury concerns of their own.
Fan tokens and the World Cup volatility machine
Chiliz (CHZ), the blockchain platform that powers fan tokens for dozens of national teams and clubs through its Socios.com marketplace, has seen increased trading attention correlating with World Cup events. Fan tokens function like a hybrid between a loyalty program and a speculative asset. Holders can vote on minor club decisions, access exclusive content, and trade them based on how their team is performing on the pitch.
Fan tokens tend to spike during tournaments and deflate afterward, creating a predictable boom-bust cycle that rewards timing over conviction.
