It’s a bold call from Ghana — Thomas Partey’s in the World Cup squad even as he prepares to face serious charges in a UK court.

So, Ghana isn’t shying away from the headlines. Midfielder Thomas Partey has been named in their provisional 28-man squad for next month’s World Cup, as per cbinews.tv, despite the fact he’s currently facing criminal charges in the UK.

The 32-year-old Villarreal man is set to stand trial next year. He’s pleaded not guilty to seven counts of rape and one count of sexual assault. The allegations come from four women and relate to incidents said to have happened between 2020 and 2022.

Partey called time on his Arsenal career in 2025 after five seasons in North London. He was actually charged not long after his contract ran out, before making the switch to Villarreal in Spain.

Even with all that going on off the pitch, he’s still been a massive part of Ghana’s World Cup qualifying run. He’s got 58 caps for his country and remains a key figure in midfield.

There is one big name missing though. Mohammed Kudus won’t be going. The Tottenham forward has been ruled out with injury and hasn’t kicked a ball since January thanks to a quad problem that’s had complications. He joined Spurs from West Ham last summer and managed 19 Premier League games this season, bagging two goals.

Boss Carlos Queiroz named his squad on Tuesday. With Kudus out, expect the attacking load to fall on Antoine Semenyo and Iñaki Williams. There’s also a return for ex-Chelsea defender Abdul Rahman Baba — his first call-up since 2023.

Ghana’s group is no joke either. They’re in Group L with Croatia, England and Panama.

Attribution:cbinews.tv

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