Thomas Partey is looking forward to a “very joyful” reunion with his former Arsenal teammates as Ghana prepares to take on England in the World Cup on Tuesday.
The ex-Arsenal midfielder will be available for the match after missing Ghana’s 1-0 victory over Panama in Toronto on Wednesday.
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Previously, Partey was denied entry into Canada due to being charged with seven counts of rape and one count of sexual assault in London, stemming from incidents between 2020 and 2022.
He has vehemently denied all allegations and plans to defend himself at a trial set for next summer.
Hello from one group to another, Ghana will compete in Group L against England, which features Partey’s former Arsenal colleagues Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice.
Partey is set to play against England on Tuesday (PA)
Speaking to the media in footage shared on TV3 Ghana’s X account, Partey expressed, “I’m genuinely excited to see them again. I hope they’ll give it their all and allow us the chance to compete against the best while enjoying the game.”
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Entering Tuesday’s match, Ghana is currently second in Group L and will face Croatia in their last group game on Saturday.
Partey emphasized, “It’s not just about individual accolades. We’re here to play as a team.”
“We are a unit of 11 players. We need to perform together. While I strive for my best performance, ultimately it’s the team’s success that matters.”
Initially, Partey had been denied a visa by the Canadian government, leading his legal team to make a last-minute plea in the Federal Court of Ottawa the previous Tuesday.
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The judge, Roger Lafreniere, rejected the appeal, stating that Partey sought “extraordinary, mandatory interlocutory relief” that would necessitate Canada to overturn a “lawfully rendered inadmissibility finding” in order to admit him for a specific event.
While the U.S. government has granted Partey a visa, Canadian officials noted that under their laws, foreign nationals can be deemed inadmissible even without a foreign conviction.
“There are situations outside of football that you cannot control,” Partey remarked to reporters, reflecting on the issues he faced in Canada. “At this moment, I feel prepared and eager to play.”
“We’ve been training well, and everyone is ready to give their best, competing with the other teams, and I believe preparation is crucial.”