Tuchel defends Spence screaming incident and rules out FIFA action over Partey snub

Thomas Tuchel has moved to defuse the controversy surrounding his on-pitch confrontation with Djed Spence during England’s goalless draw with Ghana, insisting the outburst was purely practical and that relations between the two remain fine.

The Tottenham defender was visibly berated by the England head coach during the friendly, with Tuchel publicly demanding more from Spence in the attacking phase. Speaking afterwards, Tuchel explained the exchange in straightforward terms: “I have to scream because nobody hears me otherwise. It’s all good with Djed.”

Tuchel said he was satisfied with Spence’s defensive work but wanted the right-back to contribute more going forward. “I wanted him to be more engaged in the attacking phase — to start our attacks a bit wider and have more runs through the last line,” he said. “But overall it was his first start for England in a major tournament and I always put it in perspective.”

The England boss also highlighted a near-miss late in the game, noting that substitute Nico O’Reilly almost made an immediate impact: “We brought on Nico O’Reilly and it almost paid off with a header and a big chance for Harry Kane.”

Separately, Spence is not expected to face any FIFA disciplinary action after footage emerged showing he had declined to shake hands with Ghana midfielder Thomas Partey before kick-off. While FIFA has yet to issue a formal statement, it is understood the disciplinary committee is unlikely to intervene in the matter.

Partey currently faces seven counts of rape and one count of sexual assault in the United Kingdom. The charges relate to allegations made by four women concerning incidents that reportedly took place in London between 2020 and 2022.