Netizens, particularly Ghanaian social media users, have taken to the comment sections of England defender Djed Spence’s social media posts to criticise him following his actions during the pre-match handshake ritual in the World Cup clash between Ghana and England, which ended in a 0-0 draw.
The incident occurred after the national anthems of both countries, when players from both sides engaged in the customary exchange of handshakes before kickoff. Observations from the match showed that Djed Spence received handshakes from several Ghanaian players who approached him in turn.
However, when Ghana’s midfielder Thomas Partey approached to exchange greetings, Djed Spence was seen keeping his hand in the right pocket of his tracksuit top as Partey walked past. Thomas Partey briefly glanced back in surprise before continuing to greet the next player in line.
Spence then raised his hands again after Partey had moved on to shake other Ghanaian players. The gesture was widely interpreted by some fans as a deliberate avoidance of Partey’s handshake.
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The moment quickly circulated on social media, with many users describing the act as unnecessary and disrespectful. A section of netizens, especially from Ghana, have since flooded Spence’s social media pages, particularly Instagram, to express their displeasure and criticise what they perceived as a childish and uncalled-for action.
Many argued that such behaviour had no place in a high-profile international fixture and insisted it was an uncalled-for moment that overshadowed the spirit of fair play.
So far, neither Djed Spence nor Thomas Partey has publicly commented on the incident.
It will be recalled that Thomas Partey pleaded not guilty to seven charges of rape and one count of sexual assault relating to allegations by four different women. He is scheduled to stand trial next year.
