England snub shines a light on Arsenal's 'warrior'
Evening Standard|March 15, 2024
FOR a man who does not crave attention, Ben White had to contend with spending yesterday in the spotlight.
Simon Collings
England snub shines a light on Arsenal's 'warrior'

The day began with news of his new four-year contract at Arsenal, but that was swiftly overtaken by the revelation the defender has made himself unavailable for England.

White has not played for his country since leaving the 2022 World Cup in Qatar due to "personal reasons", and last week Arsenal's sporting director, Edu, contacted the FA's technical director, John McDermott, to inform him the 26-year-old did not want to be called up ahead of this month's friendlies with Brazil and Belgium.

No one has ever disclosed what happened in Qatar, but Gareth Southgate was quick yesterday to stress there was no issue between White and his assistant, Steve Holland, amid reports of a bust-up during the World Cup.

Plenty of people will have their opinions on White after yesterday, but at Arsenal he is regarded as one of the most professional players in the squad.

This story is from the March 15, 2024 edition of Evening Standard.

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This story is from the March 15, 2024 edition of Evening Standard.

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