Ben White booed at Wembley despite scoring first England goal

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Ben White endured a mixed reception on his England return, with Arsenal’s defender being booed by sections of the Wembley crowd despite scoring his first international goal in the 1-1 draw with Uruguay.

The 28-year-old was jeered when he entered as a 69th-minute substitute and again after opening the scoring 12 minutes later. It marked White’s first England appearance since leaving the 2022 World Cup squad in Qatar for personal reasons.

Jordan Henderson, who has experienced similar treatment from England fans following his controversial Saudi Arabia move, offered his support to the Arsenal defender.

“As team-mates we are always there to support,” said Henderson. “I have been through it myself, but that is part and parcel of being an England player. Some of the fans probably don’t even know why they are booing, they listen to what is being said in the media, and a lot of the time what the media says isn’t true.”

White’s England absence has been a source of speculation since he departed the World Cup squad and subsequently made himself unavailable for selection during Gareth Southgate’s remaining tenure as manager.

The centre-back was called up by new manager Thomas Tuchel as a replacement for injured Bayer Leverkusen’s Jarell Quansah. Tuchel had previously stated that White must “clear the air” with his international teammates, describing it as “necessary” for the player to explain his reasons to those who were with him in Qatar.

Henderson defends teammate

Henderson, who earned his 89th England cap against Uruguay, emphasized the importance of supporting White through the difficult period.

“Not many people know the ins and outs of what happened in Qatar and it is for us to deal with internally. Ben has been good since he came back in and we will support him as team-mates,” Henderson explained.

The Brentford midfielder highlighted how media speculation can influence fan opinion, noting that “the media can spin things in certain ways, which isn’t always the truth and then fans can pick up on that and think it is the truth.”

First international goal overshadowed

White’s milestone moment of scoring his first England goal was overshadowed by the hostile reception from supporters. The defender, who has been a consistent performer for Arsenal this season, had previously earned six caps for his country before his self-imposed exile.

While White has yet to speak publicly about his decision to withdraw from international duty, his return to the England setup under Tuchel suggests a willingness to rebuild bridges with the national team. The defender’s performance against Uruguay, including his crucial goal, may help facilitate that process as England prepares for future fixtures under their new German manager.