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Djed Spence Appears to Snub Thomas Partey Before England vs Ghana Clash
Video footage appeared to show Djed Spence bypassing Thomas Partey before England’s World Cup match against Ghana following the midfielder’s return to the squad.
England defender Djed Spence appeared to avoid shaking hands with Thomas Partey before Tuesday’s World Cup Group L match between England and Ghana.
Broadcast footage showed the Tottenham full-back walking beyond Partey during the pre-match introductions, while the Ghana midfielder greeted other England players in line with standard protocol.
The moment quickly drew attention online due to the ongoing legal proceedings involving the former Arsenal player.
Partey had only recently rejoined Ghana’s World Cup squad after missing their opening match against Panama following reports that he had been refused entry into Canada.
However, the 33-year-old was later cleared to enter the United States and featured against England.
During the handshake line, cameras appeared to capture Spence bypassing the Villarreal midfielder before continuing down the line to greet other Ghana players.
Partey is facing multiple criminal charges in the UK. He was initially charged last July with five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault concerning alleged incidents between 2020 and 2022 in London.
In February, prosecutors added two further rape charges, bringing the total number of counts to eight. Partey has denied all allegations and is scheduled to face trial next year.
Before the tournament began, England boss Thomas Tuchel and FA officials reportedly instructed players to focus on football and steer clear of politically sensitive conversations.
Players were also reportedly permitted to make personal decisions regarding whether to shake hands with Partey before the match.
The game against England represented Partey’s first World Cup appearance after he missed Ghana’s opener due to travel-related issues.
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