Ben White Returns to England Fold After Three-Year Absence

Arsenal defender Ben White has been recalled to the England squad for the first time in more than three years, marking a notable return after a long spell away from the national team.

The 27-year-old has not been involved with England since leaving the squad during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar for personal reasons. After that tournament, White made himself unavailable for selection throughout Gareth Southgate’s time in charge, bringing a halt to his international career for the time being.

Now, under Thomas Tuchel, White is back in the picture. He has been added to an expanded 35-man England squad ahead of friendly matches against Uruguay on 27 March and Japan on 31 March, both to be played at Wembley.

White’s last appearance for England came in March 2022, when he featured in a 3-0 friendly victory over Ivory Coast. Since then, he has spent an extended period out of the international setup, with no further caps added to his record.

His return comes after Jarell Quansah was forced to withdraw from the squad because of a thigh injury. Quansah, identified here as a Bayer Leverkusen defender, drops out, giving White an opening to step back onto the international stage.

While White has not been a regular starter in the Premier League this season, he has still remained involved in important matches for Arsenal. He has made only seven league appearances for the current leaders, but his role in Europe has been more significant. White has played in eight of Arsenal’s 10 Champions League matches as the club pushed through to the quarter-finals.

He also started Arsenal’s 2-0 defeat to Manchester City in Sunday’s Carabao Cup final, showing that he remains trusted in major fixtures despite limited domestic appearances overall.

White’s call-up is one of the standout selections in Tuchel’s squad, especially given the continued absence of Trent Alexander-Arnold. The Real Madrid defender was overlooked for the fourth England squad in a row.

After Real Madrid’s derby win over Atletico Madrid on Sunday, the former Liverpool full-back posted a short message on Instagram that may draw attention in England as well as Spain. He wrote: “Madrid. And nothing else.”

For White, though, the focus now shifts back to Wembley and the chance to restart an England career that had appeared to be on hold indefinitely.