Djed Spence Takes Drastic Instagram Action After Thomas Partey Handshake Snub Backlash
- Djed Spence has limited his Instagram comments after facing a wave of backlash from Ghanaians on social media
- The drama stems from Spence's refusal to shake Thomas Partey's hand during the pre-match greeting at the England vs Ghana clash
- One Ghanaian man reportedly flooded Spence's Instagram DMs with angry messages over the snub, adding to the pressure
Djed Spence has taken a drastic action on Instagram by restricting comments following a torrent of criticism from Ghanaian fans over his widely discussed handshake snub of Thomas Partey.
The Tottenham Hotspur defender became the focus of intense social media scrutiny after England's World Cup group-stage clash with Ghana in Boston on June 23.
Footage from the match appeared to show Spence bypassing Partey during the customary pre-match greetings, a moment that quickly went viral across social media platforms.
Source: Getty Images
Spence takes Instagram action after Partey drama
The incident (Spence's decision to snub Partey) sparked strong reactions from Ghanaians, many of whom flooded his accounts to express their displeasure, as noted by Ghanasoccernet.
The pressure appears to have reached a tipping point when one Ghanaian man took things a step further, flooding Spence's Instagram DMs with a barrage of messages expressing outrage over his disrespect towards the Black Stars vice-captain.
Below is a post on X showing how a Ghanaian fan berated Spence in his DM:
That episode seemingly pushed the left-back to lock down his comments section entirely, limiting who could respond to his posts.
For many Ghanaians, the handshake snub felt personal. Partey is one of the country's most beloved footballers, and watching an opponent publicly blank him before a high-stakes World Cup fixture struck a nerve.
Reactions to Spence's Instagram move
Meanwhile, Ghanaian football fans have had plenty to say about both the original snub and Spence's decision to limit his comments.
@Rasheed844 wrote:
"Don’t mess up wid Ghanaians."
@BraOsakra jokingly added:
"He die finish unless he log out for there."
@BLOCKHOLDER8 teased:
"Ladies and gentlemen, Ghanaians on Instagram have forced Djed Spence to turn off his Instagram comments. Motionnnnnnn."
@dizzy10_ summed up with a subtle caution to Spence:
"He no see anything yet."
Source: Getty Images
Why Spence appeared to snub Partey
As of the time of publication, the 25-year-old defender, who is of Jamaican and Kenyan descent, has not publicly explained his decision. However, the incident did not occur in isolation.
In the build-up to the fixture, the England Football Association acknowledged discussions over whether players should participate in the customary pre-match handshake with Partey, who is currently standing trial in the United Kingdom on multiple charges.
According to The Times, the FA ultimately left the matter to individual players rather than issuing a collective directive.
Against that backdrop, Spence's actions during the pre-match line-up were widely interpreted as a reflection of the debate that had dominated the build-up to the game.
It remains unclear whether his decision to restrict comments on Instagram is a temporary measure aimed at easing the backlash or a longer-term move.
Spence posts cryptic message after Partey incident
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that Djed Spence broke his silence on Instagram with a cryptic one-word post after appearing to snub Thomas Partey’s handshake.
Amid backlash, especially from Ghanaian fans, he later shared another post featuring the word “BELIEVE” alongside a carousel of matchday images.
Source: YEN.com.gh
