FOXBOROUGH, Mass -- Djed Spence appeared to avoid shaking Thomas Partey's hand before England's World Cup clash with Ghana on Tuesday.
All 26 players from each squad lined up for the customary pre-match handshakes prior to kickoff, and while not every exchange was shown on the live television broadcast, footage shared on social media appeared to show the Tottenham defender keeping his hands in his pockets as Partey passed.
All other players appeared to shake Partey's hand or fistbump him as the teams crossed.
Sources have told ESPN that the Football Association chose not to give the England players any specific guidance or hold any meeting relating to Partey ahead of the game, choosing instead to focus purely on the football.
Neither Spence nor Partey answered questions in the mixed zone after the 0-0 draw. Thomas Tuchel was asked about the incident in the post-match news conference but his accompanying press officer said England could not comment, citing legal reasons.
Partey missed Ghana's opening win over Panama in Toronto after being denied entry to Canada due to ongoing criminal proceedings in the United Kingdom.
The 33-year-old former Arsenal midfielder 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.
Ghana coach Carlos Queiroz denied that there was any snub before the game.
"Look, this did not happen," Queiroz said. "We refuse to be part of people that try to bring dust and politics inside the game. We fight to keep the four lines sacred. It's difficult sometimes, but it happens."
Partey was booed by the heavily pro-England crowd at Gillette Stadium when he touched the ball. Ghana's final group match is also in the U.S., on Sunday against Croatia in Philadelphia.
"When we saw him starting the game, we are all happy," Ghana midfielder Kwasi Sibo said afterwards. "We are all with him to let him stay focused and help the team, because he's our main man and we'll always be with him."
Partey played at Arsenal with two members of the England squad -- Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka -- before leaving the Gunners in 2025 to join Villarreal.
Information from Associated Press was used in this report.