Thomas Tuchel has emphasized that Ben White needs to “clear the air” with his England teammates and has called on fans to support the Arsenal defender, who has returned to the squad for the first time in over three years.
Ben White left the 2022 World Cup in Qatar prematurely for what the FA referred to as “personal reasons,” but sources informed ESPN that this was due to a disagreement with former coach Gareth Southgate’s staff.
While Southgate later denied any deterioration in their relationship, he revealed that White had expressed a desire to step away from international selection.
Tuchel had a constructive discussion with White last year and decided to bring the 28-year-old back into the squad following Jarell Quansah’s injury-related withdrawal from the initial 35-man roster. England will play against Uruguay on Friday and Japan next Tuesday, with White eager to participate, especially in the first match, as Tuchel has opted to give extended rest to 11 players, including captain Harry Kane.
Eleven players currently in the squad were part of Southgate’s team in Qatar. Tuchel, who became coach in January 2025, explained his rationale for including White.
“First and foremost, everyone deserves a second chance,” Tuchel remarked on Thursday.
“Secondly, I’m not entirely sure what transpired. My main focus was to start anew — to turn a fresh page and create new opportunities.
“When I asked Ben if he was ready to play for me and for England, he immediately responded that he would love to and was eager to return. His enthusiasm was evident when the opportunity arose due to Jarell Quansah’s injury; he reacted incredibly positively and emotionally, which indicated his genuine desire to come back.
“His attitude and training performance during the camp were outstanding. He displayed exceptional quality. It is important that he mends any issues with his teammates, and I believe he will, particularly when the players he was with at the World Cup rejoin the squad.
“We will proceed from there. Let’s see how he feels and whether he has the confidence and comfort he’s anticipated. Thus far, that seems to be the case. He has my backing, and I hope he receives the same from the fans as we move forward.”
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Quansah’s injury provided Tuchel with a second chance to bring back Trent Alexander-Arnold, whom he had initially excluded from his squad but chose not to include the Real Madrid defender.
“It was simply a choice — a sporting one. It was a tough decision, perhaps an unfair one, but necessary choices must be made. I opted for Ben White after observing his performance in the cup final against Manchester City. He demonstrated a return to form following a Champions League match against Bayer Leverkusen.
“This was my opportunity to meet him and observe how he integrates with the group. I understand Trent’s capabilities, so the decision was made to bring in Ben and Tino Livramento. I wanted to maintain consistency with players who had performed well in the camps leading up to this. They also require playing time, and many players are vying for spots in the right-back position — Djed Spence included — who are competing for World Cup selections, so I didn’t want to exclude them.
“I recognize that leaving out a player like Trent generates discussion. We had a conversation, and I attempted to clarify the situation. He just has to come to terms with it.”
England will kick off their World Cup campaign on June 17 against Croatia, alongside Ghana and Panama in Group L.