Djed Spence appears to refuse Thomas Partey handshake before England v Ghana | OneFootball

According to L'Équipe, a social media video appears to show England left-back Djed Spence declining a pre-match handshake with Thomas Partey before England v Ghana on Tuesday. The clip emerged around the second Group L game at the World Cup.

Shot by a Ghanaian broadcaster and widely shared online, the footage seems to show Spence moving past the Black Stars midfielder during the teams’ handshakes.

Partey, now at Villarreal, has been accused of rapes and sexual assault by four women between 2020 and 2022 while he was at Arsenal from 2020 to 2025. He has pleaded not guilty and is due to stand trial in the United Kingdom in 2027.

On 17 June, the case prompted Canada to bar Partey from entering the country, which prevented him from featuring in Ghana’s opening World Cup match against Panama, a 1-0 win. A challenge by the Ghanaian government at the Canadian Federal Court was unsuccessful.

After the match, England’s press officer cut off a question to head coach Thomas Tuchel on the matter, citing legal reasons and saying it would not be discussed. Ghana manager Queiroz said it did not happen and rejected attempts to bring politics into the game, adding that his team aim to stay focused on the pitch and praising those who kept politics outside the match.

Source: L'Équipe