Multiple outlets report that England defender Djed Spence appears not to shake hands with Ghana midfielder Thomas Partey before England’s World Cup group match against Ghana in Boston. The claims are based on pre-match footage circulating on social media and broadcast coverage, which show Spence walking past Partey without a handshake as players line up. Several reports describe the moment as an apparent snub, occurring amid visible crowd reaction to Partey. Some coverage also notes Partey’s wider attention around the tournament, including references to his legal situation and prior headlines about his availability, while focusing primarily on the handshaking incident itself.
The reports are framed as “appears” or “appears to refuse,” indicating they rely on interpretation of video rather than direct confirmation from either player. None of the sources provide an official statement explaining the behaviour. Overall, the coverage centers on what viewers see in the handshake moment ahead of the match.
