'We will always protect him' - Tuchel defends White after Wembley boos

Wembley, London — England manager Thomas Tuchel issued a staunch defence of Ben White after the Arsenal defender was booed during the Three Lions’ 1-1 draw with Uruguay, insisting the squad will “always protect him” and urging supporters to “move on” from the controversies that have shadowed the 27-year-old’s international career.

White, making his first England appearance since leaving the 2022 World Cup camp early for personal reasons, entered the match to a mixed reception and was jeered again when his 81st-minute goal — his first at senior level — was announced. The mood darkened further in stoppage time when White was adjudged to have fouled Uruguay’s Matías Arezo, allowing Luis Suárez to convert a late penalty and snatch a draw.

“I heard that he was booed,” Tuchel said post-match. “I didn’t hear it on the field because I was involved in the changes, so it cannot be the majority. There were some boos and some mixed reception, which I am disappointed about. We protect our players and he was excellent in camp. He deserved to come on, he deserved to start, and he got us almost the winner.”

The defender’s reintegration has been anything but seamless. White rejected a subsequent call-up under former manager Gareth Southgate following a reported rift with then-assistant Steve Holland, triggering a self-imposed exile that ended only when Tuchel replaced Southgate last autumn. Summoned this month as an injury replacement for Jarell Quansah, White’s return divided opinion among fans who remain uneasy about his past withdrawal from national duty.

Jordan Henderson, captaining England against Uruguay after previously being booed for his move to Saudi Arabia, urged White to keep perspective. “I have been through it myself,” Henderson said. “Some fans probably don’t even know why they are booing; they listen to what is said in the media, and a lot of the time that isn’t true. Ben has been good since he came back in and we will support him as team-mates.”

White’s versatility — he featured at centre-back on Saturday despite being selected as a right-back option — keeps him in Tuchel’s thoughts ahead of this summer’s World Cup. Yet with Marc Guehi and Ezri Konsa set to return for Tuesday’s friendly against Japan, the competition for defensive places is fierce, and the manager conceded the scrutiny surrounding White may force a reassessment.

Tuchel also questioned the VAR intervention that led to Uruguay’s equaliser. “I think it’s a very soft penalty,” he said. “Maybe Ben is also a bit greedy in this moment, but to overturn a decision when the referee clearly made the signal that he saw it… I was surprised VAR is in place.”

For now, Tuchel’s priority is shielding a player he believes can still “write new chapters” for his country. “He needs to take it on the chin,” the manager acknowledged. “We will always protect him and hopefully everyone can move on and accept it.”

Whether England supporters heed that plea could determine whether White’s renaissance story extends to the sport’s biggest stage this summer.