FIFA World Cup 2026: Ghana Coach Carlos Queiroz Defends Thomas Partey Selection Despite Pending Trial

Ghana coach Carlos Queiroz has explained why he picked Thomas Partey in his World Cup squad while the former Arsenal midfielder is awaiting a trial in London on multiple charges of rape.

Queiroz cited a presumption of innocence for Partey — who now plays in Spain for Villarreal and has pleaded not guilty — criticized the quick judgements of modern social media and spoke philosophically in comments late Monday ahead of a warmup game in Wales.

“Let events run its normal course, let the river flow and one day when the river meets the ocean we will find the truth,” said Queiroz, a veteran coach going to his fifth straight World Cup after leading his native Portugal and Iran at previous editions.

The 32-year-old Partey is due to stand trial in November or later on allegations dating to his time with Arsenal from 2020-25. A second World Cup player, Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi, also is awaiting trial on similar charges, in Paris.

“Today, and this is not only about Thomas, very unfortunately the way social media, and the media sometimes, act with full and total impunity we are condemned even before we have the opportunity to defend ourselves,” Queiroz said in Cardiff where his team plays on Tuesday against Wales.

“If the player is here with me, my answer is clear, so I don’t have to make comments about my own decisions,” said the coach who was hired by Ghana in April.

At the World Cup, Ghana plays one group game in Canada then two in the United States, and has a training base in Rhode Island.

Ghana’s tough group

Queiroz’s team starts against Panama in Toronto on June 17, then plays England in Foxborough, Massachusetts, and finishes Group L against Croatia in Philadelphia on June 27. The top two in the standings go to the round of 32 and the third-place team could also advance.

The 73-year-old coach suggested “there are much more serious problems, urgent issues in the world to talk about” than an issue with a player that was out of his hands.

“Unfortunately, as I said, today it is really difficult to deal with everything that is on top of us,” said Queiroz, who at the 2022 World Cup tried to protect his Iran players from questions about anti-government protests at home.

“The key point for me in my professional life in football it is to keep everything that is poison or dust far away from the four lines,” he said on Monday.

Ghana’s squad is headlined by Manchester City winger Antoine Semenyo at the Black Stars’ fifth World Cup appearance in the last six editions.

In 2010 in South Africa, Ghana was denied being the first African team to reach the semifinals when Uruguay forward Luis Suárez punched away a goal-bound header late in extra time of a 1-1 game. Ghana missed the penalty kick then lost the shootout.