Thomas Partey has tried to drain the heat from his World Cup summer. The Ghana midfielder says missing Ghana's World Cup opener against Panama is "just part of football", and he insists he is ready to play as Ghana prepare for England in the United States. The off-field problem is still there, though, with one visa approved and another blocked.
Partey's response to the row
Partey, the former Arsenal midfielder, said: "Well I think it's part of football, things happen in football that you cannot control. For me now, I feel ready to play. I'm okay, I'm feeling good. We've been training good and everybody is ready, we are here to try our best and compete with the rest of the teams and I think preparation is key."
He also said of the England game: "I know it's not going to be easy, they are very good players and I'm happy to play against him again. I'm really happy to see them [old Arsenal team-mates]. I hope they're going to bring their best and try to give ourselves the opportunity to play against the best, try to compete and enjoy the game."
That is the football side of the story, and it is the part Partey wants to keep in view. Ghana need him available, he sounds mentally ready, and the England fixture gives him a clean football reason to stay focused.
The visa split between the United States and Canada
The legal split is sharper. U.S. Customs and Border Protection said Partey was admitted to the United States after being issued a visa, while Canada denied entry after officials said he wrongly stated he had never been arrested or charged with a crime on his visa application. Justice Roger Lafrenière refused to override that denial in an Ottawa courtroom.
There is also a charge-count dispute in the reporting. SI.com said Partey faces five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault, later followed by two further counts of rape. Mirror.co.uk described it as seven charges of rape and one count of sexual assault.
On the pitch, Ghana are still trying to steady themselves. Their last five World Cup fixtures contain three defeats and two wins, which is not exactly the kind of record that lets a team coast into a meeting with England. Partey’s presence helps, but the wider picture is still being shaped by what happens in courtrooms and at border checks, not just in training.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 2 outlets. How we work →