Ben White has been called up to the England squad for the first time since leaving the 2022 World Cup camp, replacing the injured Eberechi Eze and ending a long spell out of the national-team picture.
Ben White has been recalled to the England squad, with the Arsenal defender added to Thomas Tuchel’s group ahead of the March friendlies against Uruguay and Japan. England confirmed on Monday that White and Harvey Barnes had been brought in to replace Eberechi Eze and Jarell Quansah, both ruled out through injury.
The call-up is notable for two reasons. First, it is a direct reward for White’s return to fitness and form after his recent injury issues. Second, it ends a long England absence that stretches back to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, when he left the camp for what the FA described at the time as personal reasons.
That background is what makes this recall more significant than a routine squad update. White has four England caps, but he has not featured for the national team since 2022. In March 2024, Gareth Southgate said White had made himself unavailable for selection, while also insisting the door remained open for a future return.
Reports around that period also linked his absence to tensions during the World Cup camp, including speculation over an exchange involving assistant coach Steve Holland, although the official line remained that White had left Qatar for personal reasons.
What has now changed is that White is back in the fold under Tuchel. England’s official update did not dwell on the history, but the decision to call him in now makes clear that whatever distance there had been between player and national team is no longer blocking selection. For Arsenal, that is an important development in itself, particularly with the World Cup approaching and players trying to secure their places for the summer.
It also adds another layer to Arsenal’s England representation. White comes into a squad that already included Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka, Noni Madueke and Eberechi Eze before the latter withdrew through injury. His inclusion restores Arsenal’s presence and gives the club another senior international during a break that has already brought a mixed picture in terms of fitness and withdrawals.
For White personally, the recall feels significant. He had fallen completely out of the England setup for a period, despite his importance at Arsenal and his ability to cover both centre-back and right-back.
Now, with Tuchel assessing options ahead of the World Cup, White has an opening to re-establish himself at the international level. England face Uruguay on March 27 and Japan on March 31 at Wembley, and this call-up gives the Arsenal defender a chance to move from long-term absentee back into active contention.