England midfielder Jordan Henderson stated that teammates will always support Ben White following jeers from some fans at Wembley. White, returning after nearly four years, scored in a 1-1 friendly draw against Uruguay. New manager Thomas Tuchel called for White to clear the air with former squad members.
Ben White made his return to the England national team on Friday, substituting into the friendly against Uruguay at Wembley Stadium with just over 20 minutes remaining. The Arsenal defender opened the scoring but later conceded a penalty, resulting in a 1-1 draw. Some home fans jeered as he entered the pitch, his first appearance since withdrawing from the 2022 World Cup squad for personal reasons and opting out of selection under previous manager Gareth Southgate. White earned the call-up from new head coach Thomas Tuchel after Bayer Leverkusen defender Jarell Quansah suffered an injury. Henderson, who has 89 caps and faced similar fan backlash after joining Al-Ettifaq in Saudi Arabia, expressed solidarity. “As teammates we are always there to support,” Henderson said. He noted that fans and media often lack the full story from Qatar in 2022. “Some of the fans probably don’t even know why they are booing, they listen to what is being said in the media, and a lot of the time what the media says isn’t true,” he added. Henderson urged White not to take it personally, emphasizing team support and praising his goal. Tuchel stressed the need for White to explain his past decision to teammates from the World Cup squad. “I think it’s necessary he clears the air with teammates,” Tuchel said. “Everyone deserves a second chance.” England face Japan at Wembley on Tuesday.
