One England player won’t shake hands with Thomas Partey before their game against Ghana.
During the match between England and Ghana, one England player chose not to shake hands with Thomas Partey. The FA let players decide for themselves whether to shake hands before the game. Partey, who is Ghana’s vice-captain, played in midfield for Ghana in Boston after being denied entry to Canada for their first win over Panama in Toronto.
Partey, who used to play for Arsenal, is currently waiting for trial in London on serious charges, which he denies. The FA didn’t give clear instructions about the handshake, leaving it up to the players. The usual handshake moment wasn’t shown on TV, but fan videos from the stadium showed that Djed Spence was the only England player who didn’t reach out to Partey.
Journalists at the game noticed this too. One reporter said it looked like Spence ignored Partey during the handshake, and another agreed. Spence, who plays for Spurs and is England’s first Muslim player at a World Cup, was starting his first game after a strong performance against Croatia.
Partey now plays for Villarreal in Spain, having left Arsenal in 2025, where he played alongside England’s Declan Rice for two seasons. Partey’s lawyer said he denies all the charges. Before the game, Partey was booed loudly when his name was announced and faced jeers whenever he touched the ball at Gillette Stadium.