Pre-World Cup Friendly: England vs. Ghana – Partey Controversy

A pre-World Cup friendly match between England and Ghana featured several notable incidents involving Ghana midfielder Thomas Partey.

Handshake Incident

England defender Djed Spence withdrew his hand as Thomas Partey approached, resulting in the handshake not occurring.

During the pre-match handshake, the encounter was captured in video footage. Prior to the match, The Telegraph had reported that English players were expected to shake Partey's hand.

Fan Reaction

Partey was booed by the crowd at Boston Stadium when his name was announced and throughout the first half of the match.

Background on Thomas Partey

Thomas Partey, a midfielder who previously played for Arsenal and now plays for Villarreal, faces seven charges of rape and two charges of sexual assault in Britain. Partey has denied these charges.

He was unable to play in Ghana's previous friendly match against Panama after Canada denied his visa application. Regarding his availability for the match against England, Partey stated he felt "OK" and "ready to play."

Related Match Details

Partey previously played alongside England players Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka at Arsenal.