Ben White stands by England withdrawal decision as he returns to squad

Ben White has said he would not change the decision that led to his extended absence from England duty, while declining to disclose the circumstances behind it. Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live, the Arsenal defender said the public did not have the complete account of his departure and that he did not intend to reveal it.

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White left England's camp at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar for personal reasons and subsequently made himself unavailable for the remainder of Gareth Southgate's tenure. BBC Sport reported that the 29-year-old acknowledged the situation had been difficult but said he was pleased to be back with the national team under Thomas Tuchel.

His return at Wembley in March brought boos from some supporters, followed by a goal and a conceded penalty. White described the evening as emotional but ultimately positive. BBC Sport also reported that Jordan Henderson had expressed the players' support for him, while Tuchel had called for supporters to respond positively to the defender's return.

According to the Guardian's report of White's comments, he had no complaint about the crowd's reaction, although he suggested some people might respond differently if they knew more about what happened. He said he preferred to keep those details private rather than implicate anyone else. His position was that the episode had happened and he wanted to move forward.

White is back in the squad after an injury kept him out of last month's camp, the Guardian reported. A knee injury at the end of last season also prevented him from being considered for the summer World Cup. He told TalkSport that discovering he was out of contention had brought him to tears. The defender has made 12 Arsenal appearances this season and hopes to participate at Euro 2028.

White also credited Tuchel's personal approach with helping bring him back to international football. He said the manager did not need a lengthy pitch: the effort to contact him mattered, as did the opportunity to learn from him. England's next Nations League fixtures are against Croatia and Spain, with White again available to add to his international appearances.