England boss Thomas Tuchel was blocked from speaking about Djed Spence snubbing a handshake with Thomas Partey.
The incident occurred before Tuesday’s 0-0 draw, which saw every other Three Lions player interact with the former Arsenal midfielder.
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Ahead of the bore draw in Boston, it had been a major talking point whether the England squad would shake hands with Partey.
The FA were weighing up their position on the customary pre-match handshake as a result of the 33-year-old’s off-field allegations.
Partey was charged with five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault in July 2025.
He was subsequently charged with two additional counts of rape in February of this year.
The Villarreal player has pleaded not guilty and denied all the charges against him.
Partey is due to stand trial in June 2027 after appearing in Southwark Court in September.
Having been unable to feature in Ghana’s opening match against Panama after being denied entry into Canada, Partey came up against familiar faces on Tuesday having spent five years in England.
Fan footage taken from the stands inside the Gillette Stadium shows only Tottenham full-back Spence deciding against greeting Partey as he appeared to lower his hand as the ex-Atletico Madrid walked over to him.
What was said about the incident in Tuchel’s press conference?
It proved to be a major talking point of what was an uninspiring game, with Tuchel asked about the incident in his post-match press conference.
However, England Communications Lead Andy Walker interjected to prevent Tuchel from doing so.
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Tuchel appeared ready to answer the question, before Walker stepped in to say: “Sorry, for legal reasons, we aren’t going to be discussing that today.
“So we are going to have to move on.”
It was the same reason that saw Newcastle defender Dan Burn blocked from answering a question in the build-up as to whether England players would shake hands with Partey.
Partey, who was allowed to compete in America having received a visa to enter the country through the Ghanaian embassy in London, was then himself asked about the snub as he walked through the mixed zone.
Asking two times, a reporter said: “Did Djed Spence shake your hand?”
But Partey refused to answer the question.
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While Partey was unwilling to address it, Ghana boss Carlos Queiroz declared after the game that no handshake took place.
He remarked: “It did not happen [handshake], as you saw, in the comments of Thomas, we refuse to be part of people that try to bring dust and politics inside the game.
“We fight to keep the frontline sacred. It’s difficult sometimes but it happens, we have to congratulate everyone on the game, we leave politics outside of the game.”
England, who remain top of Group L ahead of Ghana on goal difference, now turn their attention to facing Panama on Saturday in their final fixture.
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