Thomas Partey’s handshake with England players wasn’t shown on TV because the camera moved away.
England’s pre-match handshake with Ghana caught people’s attention because of the reaction to former Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey. Partey played in midfield for Ghana’s Black Stars, after missing their first game against Panama because he was denied entry to Canada for the match in Toronto.
FIFA said Partey’s visa was “refused by the Canadian government,” and Ghana’s government called this “extremely unfair.” An appeal failed, with court papers showing that Partey had answered “no” when asked if he had “ever been charged with a crime in any country.” Canada’s rules say that anyone who has committed or been convicted of a crime might not be allowed into the country.
Partey, who is Ghana’s vice captain, was allowed into the U.S. for their games against England and Croatia and started in Boston. The Villarreal player is currently waiting for a trial in London, after denying seven rape charges and one sexual assault charge involving four women between 2020 and 2022. His lawyer said Partey denies all the charges and has worked with the police.
The case and Partey’s role in the game were part of the talk before the match. Some reports said Ghana planned to put Partey first in the handshake line, but that didn’t happen. Instead, Jordan Ayew was at the front, with Partey further back.
The FA didn’t take a clear position on Partey, with reports saying players could choose whether to shake hands with him. Declan Rice had played alongside Partey at Arsenal, where Partey made 167 appearances over five years. During the handshake, the broadcast didn’t show Partey shaking hands with anyone, switching to a different camera angle and then back for the final handshakes.