In the standard meet-and-greet lineup where players from both teams shake hands, footage shared widely on social media shows Spence as the only England player who didn’t extend his hand to Ghana’s Partey.
He reportedly kept his hands in his pockets or by his sides as Partey passed, then resumed shaking hands with others afterwards.
Partey turned to look back at him.
The moment gained attention mainly because Partey faces serious sexual assault and rape charges (he has pleaded not guilty and denies the allegations; legal proceedings are ongoing).
Some interpret Spence’s action as a personal statement or protest related to those charges.
Others are playing it down, suggesting it is coincidental, awkward, or unrelated, as handshakes aren’t always perfectly captured or uniform.
The Charges against Partey
Sourced from the BBC
July 2025: The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) authorised charges following a Metropolitan Police investigation. Partey was initially charged with five counts of rape (two against one woman, three against a second) and one count of sexual assault (against a third woman). These allegations relate to incidents between 2021 and 2022.
February 2026: Two additional counts of rape were added, relating to a fourth woman and alleged incidents on a single day in December 2020 in London.
Plea: Partey has pleaded not guilty to all charges. He appeared in court (including at Southwark Crown Court) to enter these pleas and denies the allegations. His legal team has stated he welcomes the opportunity to clear his name.
