Online Reporter
IT’S the ultimate sign of respect before matches — but throughout history, the pre-match handshake hasn’t always gone smoothly.
Just last night, eagle-eyed fans managed to spot what looked like quite the snub as England faced Ghana in the World Cup.
Footage seems to show England defender Djed Spence refusing to shake hands with Ghana midfielder Thomas Partey ahead of their match in Boston, putting his hand in his pocket while shaking hands with the players in front of and behind him. Former Arsenal player Partey is charged with seven counts of rape and one count of sexual assault and is set to go on trial next year.
The 33-year old faces allegations from four different women relating to incidents between 2020 and 2022, and has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
The charges led him to missing Ghana’s game against Panama after he was denied entry into Canada after incorrectly telling officials he had never been arrested or charged with a crime.
Partey faced a cool reception from England fans too who subjected him to boos and jeers as his name was read out before the match, and whenever he had possession of the ball.
When Tuchel was asked about what had happened, England’s media officer stepped in to stop him from answering any questions for legal reasons.Ghana coach Carlos Queiroz played down the apparent snub. He said: “Look, this did not happen. “We refuse to be part of people that try to bring dust and politics inside the game.”
But it is far from the first time that the pre-match hand shake has caused a stir.
Here, we take a look at some of the most memorable times things have gotten “out of hand”…
Luis Suárez and Patrice Evra
One of the Prem’s biggest hot heads, Liverpool’s Luis Suárez had just come back from an eight-match ban for racially abusing United’s Patrice Evra when then two sides faced each other at Old Trafford in 2011.
But when it came to handshakes, Suárez plainly refused to shake Evra’s hand, who then grabbed the Liverpool player’s arm only to be shrugged off.
The heated incident led United manager Sir Alex Ferguson to call him a “disgrace”, adding: “That certain player should not be allowed to play for Liverpool again…he could have caused a riot.”
Last year Evra revealed he would be making his MMA debut, and his number one choice of opponent was… Suarez.
Wayne Bridge and John Terry
Scandal erupted back in 2010 when allegations emerged that Chelsea’s John Terry had been having an affair with the ex-girlfriend of his friend and team mate Wayne Bridge.
The fall-out from the news led to Bridge quitting the England squad, and two days after this Chelsea faced Manchester City at Stamford Bridge which would mean the pair would come face to face. Bookmakers were offering bets over whether or not they would shake hands — and then the big moment came. Terry stuck out his hand, and Bridge completely ignored it.
Even a decade and a half on, the incident still hangs over both men. Bridge was set to box KSI but pulled out after the YouTuber “crossed a line” by mocking him for what happened.
Anton Ferdinand and John Terry
Terry faced scandal yet again after he was accused of calling Queens Park Rangers player Anton Ferdinand a “f*cking black c*nt” on the pitch. The 2011 incident led to pre-match handshakes being banned ahead of the next Chelsea-QPR clash. And when the teams met in September 2012, with handshakes permitted, Anton Ferdinand avoided shaking hands with the Chelsea captain.
He also avoided the hand of Terry’s teammate Ashley Cole, who defended Terry.
Thomas Tuchel and Antonio Conte
It’s not just the players who are culpable, as proved when Chelsea and now-England manager Tuchel clashed with Tottenham’s Antonio Conte in 2022. When an entertaining 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge came to an end, the pair went to shake hands, but Tuchel refused to let go, almost squaring up to each other and having to be separated.
Both were sent off as a result, with Tuchel saying it was because Conte had apparently not looked him in the eye.
Tuchel later said there were no hard feelings given the row was caused by their passion for their sides.
Samir Nasri and William Gallas
French internationals Nasri and Gallas fell out while on international duty in 2008, before Gallas made further negative comments about his teammate in his autobiography.
And when Gallas, who played for Tottenham, came up against Nasri and Arsenal in 2010 it was inevitable that the bad blood be clear to see – not least because Gallas himself had just moved from Arsenal, where the pair hadn’t spoken for months.
The pair, unsurprisingly, didn’t shake hands.
But Gallas even once said he feared Nasri was planning to have him tasered, something Nasri has not commented on.
Pep Guardiola and Cesc Fabregas
Despite Fabregas once playing under Pep at Barcelona, the City manager appeared to snub his offer of a handshake when a final-whistle brawl broke out in 2016. Pep had stormed onto the pitch as the blow of the final whistle cemented his side’s defeat to Chelsea.He then appeared to ignore Fabregas, who had just been pushed over an advertising board, when he put his hand out.
But Pep later revealed it was an honest mistake and that he hadn’t noticed, and later greeted him in the changing room. —Sun.
