Tuchel refuses to comment on Djed Spence and Thomas Partey handshake incident

England head coach Thomas Tuchel declined to comment on the growing controversy involving England defender Djed Spence and Ghana midfielder Thomas Partey following their countries' goalless draw at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The incident occurred before kick-off when Spence appeared to avoid shaking Partey's hand during the traditional pre-match greetings between players. Television footage and videos circulating on social media showed the England defender seemingly keeping his hand in his pocket as Partey approached, while other England players greeted the Ghanaian midfielder.

The matter quickly became a major talking point after the match, prompting a journalist to ask Tuchel for his reaction during the post-match press conference.

"Hi Thomas. Before the kickoff it looked like Djed Spence didn't shake Thomas Partey's hand. What are your thoughts?" the reporter asked.

Before Tuchel could respond, an England media officer intervened, saying: "Sorry Mike. For legal reasons, we aren't going to be discussing that today."

According to reports, England's Football Association left the decision on whether to shake Partey's hand to individual players. The FA reportedly chose not to issue specific guidance to avoid any perception that it was prejudging ongoing legal proceedings involving the Ghana international.

The controversy comes amid continuing scrutiny surrounding Partey's legal situation in the United Kingdom. The former Arsenal midfielder, now with Villarreal, has denied all charges against him and is awaiting trial. Because legal proceedings remain active, England officials appeared keen to avoid any public discussion that could be interpreted as commentary on the case.

Partey was also asked about the apparent snub after the match but declined to comment. Ghana coach Carlos Queiroz acknowledged that the handshake did not appear to take place and criticized attempts to shift attention away from football, insisting the focus should remain on the game itself.

On the pitch, Ghana produced a disciplined performance to hold England to a 0-0 draw in Boston, keeping the Black Stars firmly in contention for a place in the knockout stage of the World Cup. However, despite the result, much of the post-match discussion centred on the pre-game exchange involving Spence and Partey, as well as the legal sensitivities that prevented England's coaching staff from addressing the issue publicly.