Ben White called up to England squad after three-year absence

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Ben White has been called up to the England squad for the first time in more than three years, marking a significant development in the Arsenal defender’s international career.

The 27-year-old has not been involved with England since leaving the camp during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar for personal reasons. White subsequently made himself unavailable for selection for the remainder of Gareth Southgate’s tenure as manager.

White replaces Jarell Quansah in Thomas Tuchel’s expanded 35-man squad after the Bayer Leverkusen defender was ruled out with a thigh injury. England are set to play friendlies against Uruguay on 27 March and Japan on 31 March at Wembley.

The Arsenal defender’s last appearance for England came in a 3-0 friendly victory against Ivory Coast in March 2022, with his international exile spanning nearly four years.

Tuchel’s patient approach pays off

According to BBC Sport, White’s return to international football has been over a year in the making. One of Tuchel’s first priorities upon his appointment as England head coach was to gauge White’s openness to representing his country again.

White had exiled himself from selection following a falling-out with assistant coach Steve Holland at the World Cup, which led to the right-back returning home early. While Southgate attempted to provide an olive branch and even approached then Arsenal sporting director Edu to explore White’s potential return, the player remained unavailable.

However, the departure of both Southgate and Holland after Euro 2024 changed the dynamic significantly.

Limited Arsenal role this season

White has made only seven Premier League appearances for league leaders Arsenal this season, with Jurrien Timber establishing himself as the first-choice right-back under Mikel Arteta. Injury has also disrupted the defender’s campaign throughout the current season.

Despite his limited league involvement, White has featured prominently in Arsenal’s Champions League campaign, playing in eight of their 10 matches during the club’s run to the quarter-finals. He also started Sunday’s 2-0 Carabao Cup final defeat to Manchester City.

The call-up comes at a time when Real Madrid’s Trent Alexander-Arnold was overlooked for the fourth successive England squad, despite his recent move to the Spanish capital.

White’s return represents a significant shift in England’s defensive options and provides Tuchel with an experienced Premier League defender who has proven his quality at the highest level with Arsenal. The friendlies against Uruguay and Japan will offer the first opportunity to assess how White fits into the new manager’s tactical plans after his extended absence from international football.