Rice defends Ben White after Wembley boos during England win over Croatia

Declan Rice has defended Ben White after some England supporters booed the Arsenal defender when he came off the bench during Thursday's 2-1 Nations League victory over Croatia at Wembley. Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live, Rice praised his club team-mate's response and backed him to contribute to England's future.

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White left England's squad during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar for personal reasons and subsequently made himself unavailable for the remainder of Gareth Southgate's tenure. He has since returned under Thomas Tuchel. BBC Sport reported that White said before the Croatia match that supporters did not know the full circumstances of his departure, while maintaining that he stood by his decision.

Rice told the BBC that White had moved on from those events and continued to represent England with pride and full commitment. He highlighted the mental strength required to enter a match amid boos and still perform, and said the issue was not something the players discussed within the squad.

In separate remarks reported by the Mirror and carried by AOL, Rice said White enjoyed being part of the England group and had consistently made himself available when fit. He argued that a better understanding of White's personality would change supporters' views, while acknowledging that fans were entitled to their own opinions about the defender.

Rice also described White as someone who was not easily unsettled and wanted to concentrate on football. He said the player's focus was on performing well and enjoying his international career, rather than revisiting his previous absence. For Rice, attention should now be directed towards what White could deliver for England, not the circumstances surrounding his earlier departure.

White's appearance came during a narrow England win. The match report carried by Yahoo Sports recorded that Morgan Rogers opened the scoring before Croatia equalised through Sucic. Harry Kane restored England's lead from the penalty spot in the 64th minute after a foul on Jarell Quansah, and the hosts held on despite further pressure from the visitors.