BY Nadia Ntiamoah
Ghanaian rapper Medikal has entered the growing debate surrounding England defender Djed Spence after the Tottenham Hotspur full-back declined to shake the hand of Black Stars midfielder Thomas Partey before the FIFA World Cup clash against England, an incident that has generated widespread discussion across the football world.
The pre-match moment, which unfolded moments before kickoff during Ghana’s Group L encounter against England at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Boston, Massachusetts, quickly became one of the most talked-about incidents of the tournament despite the match ending in a hard-fought goalless draw.
Attention had already been focused on Thomas Partey ahead of the fixture because of legal issues that surfaced during his time in English football. As both teams lined up for the traditional pre-match handshake, many observers watched closely to see how England’s players would interact with the Ghanaian midfielder.
While every other England player exchanged handshakes with the Black Stars squad, Tottenham Hotspur defender Djed Spence was seen withholding his hand from Partey. The gesture was immediately interpreted by many football fans and commentators as a deliberate personal protest linked to the off-field controversy surrounding the Ghana international.
Video clips of the incident rapidly spread across social media platforms, triggering intense debate among football supporters worldwide. While some praised Spence for acting according to his personal convictions, others criticised the decision, arguing that the traditional pre-match handshake represents sportsmanship regardless of off-field issues.
Among the public figures who reacted was award-winning Ghanaian rapper Medikal.
The “Omo Ada” hitmaker took to X (formerly Twitter) after seeing a post highlighting Spence as the only England player who refused to shake Partey’s hand.
The original post, shared by social media user Bentil alongside a photograph of the Tottenham defender, read: “This is the only player that didn’t shake the hands of Thomas Partey.”
Quoting the post, Medikal responded with a sarcastic jab directed at Spence’s hairstyle rather than addressing the controversy itself.
“Aaa shw3 ne frontal bi,” the rapper wrote.
