As Ghana prepare to face England in the World Cup, their squad is defined by two starkly contrasting narratives: the remarkable rise of Antoine Semenyo and the rape allegations against Thomas Partey.
Semenyo, 26, was born in London to Ghanaian parents and grew up in Greenwich with a ball “almost permanently attached” to his feet. His father, who played alongside Tony Yeboah in Ghana’s top flight, encouraged him from age six to kick “paper, a can, anything” with both feet. But by 16, after failed trials at Arsenal, Tottenham, Millwall and Crystal Palace, Semenyo was deflated and ready to quit.
“Ghana face England with Antoine Semenyo's rise from non-league to World Cup amid Thomas Partey's rape charges and visa denial.”
A trial session at Bisham Abbey changed everything. Former Forest Green Rovers manager David Hockaday was there by chance and was asked to help. “When I first came across him he was lost,” Hockaday told BBC Sport. “He looked lost. He talked lost. There was a vacancy in his eyes. There was no belief. He was looking for somebody to help find himself.”
Semenyo’s name did not come up after the trial — “He didn’t rip it up, didn’t look anything particular,” Hockaday said — but he saw moments. Semenyo later sent Hockaday a bottle of Champagne when he signed for Bournemouth, with the words “hunger and belief” on the label.
Now, after rising from non-league Bath City, Semenyo faces England in a World Cup. His journey included 5am starts for non-league football and thoughts of quitting.
But the Ghana camp is also dealing with the legal ordeal of Thomas Partey. The former Arsenal midfielder, now at Villarreal, faces seven counts of rape and one count of sexual assault involving four women, alleged to have taken place between 2020 and 2022. The Crown Prosecution Service charged him with five counts of rape and one of sexual assault in July 2025, with two additional rape charges added in February 2026. Partey has pleaded not guilty to all charges and remains on bail with conditions preventing contact with the alleged victims.
His trial was initially scheduled for November 2026 at Southwark Crown Court but was postponed. A judge set a new start date of June 8, 2027.
The legal proceedings have already affected his World Cup participation. Canadian authorities rejected Partey’s visa application to enter the country for Ghana’s match against Panama — a match Ghana won — but he was permitted to travel to the United States for other scheduled matches. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada stated: “Canada has been consistent that hosting major events does not change…”
Despite missing the opener, Partey is eligible to play against England. The match will be broadcast on BBC One, BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website from 20:00 BST, with commentary on BBC Radio 5 Live. For England, victory would seal a place in the last 32. For Ghana, it is a chance to progress — but the shadow of Partey’s charges, and the inspiration of Semenyo’s journey, make this a game defined by more than football.