Thomas Partey, the Ghana midfielder, was booed by Wales supporters during his nation’s international friendly at the Cardiff City Stadium on Tuesday night.
Partey, the former Arsenal midfielder, was widely jeered when he took his first touches of the ball during Ghana’s World Cup warm-up game.
The 32-year-old is set to stand trial in the UK on rape and sexual assault charges. He was charged last year with five counts of rape and one of sexual assault, then charged with two new counts of rape in February this year. He has pleaded not guilty.
The game against Wales came hours after Ghana selected Partey in their squad for the World Cup.
Carlos Queiroz, the former Real Madrid manager and Manchester United assistant, has defended the decision to include Partey.
“It’s a simple and basic answer,” Queiroz said. “As far as I know, in England, in Portugal, whatever, we are living in this world, until the court makes a decision, that the presumption of innocence is on the side of all court cases.
“But today and this is not only about Thomas, very unfortunately the way the social media and the media sometimes act with full and total impunity, we are condemned even before we have the opportunity to defend.”
Asked whether he had any concerns about the selection, Queiroz said: “If the player is here with me, my answer is clear. I don’t have any comments about my own decisions. He is here so what are we talking about?
“This is not for me or you to make a judgment about. Let the events run their normal course. Let the river flow and one day when the river meets the ocean we are going to find the truth.”
Partey, who made 32 appearances for Villarreal in the 2025-26 season after leaving Arsenal last year, is in line to play against England at the World Cup. Ghana face England in the group stages on June 23. The Football Association is considering how players should deal with the customary handshake.
When Partey played against Tottenham Hotspur last September, it emerged that the conditions of his bail allowed him to play football, but that he must notify police of any international travel 24 hours in advance and must not contact the complainants.
For travel to the US, arrests and convictions anywhere in the world have to be declared when applying for a visa. Ghana will be based at Bryant University, near Boston.
