Ben White was booed by England fans after scoring, but conceded a penalty to give Uruguay a 1-1 draw as the Wembley crowd gave a harsh verdict on his return to the international stage.
White hit the back post to score his first international goal, but his celebrations were met with jeers.
There were more boos when a VAR check determined that he had fouled Federico Vinas, allowing Fede Valverde to equalize with a penalty in the 94th minute.
Even at full time, voices of dissatisfaction could be heard from the stands. On a night when England’s players were supposed to be auditioning for a spot in the World Cup, the reception was poor. They were overwhelming both as individuals and as a unit. But it was white people who stole the spotlight.
He was not roused by some concerned referees, with Ronald Araujo avoiding a red card for a vicious tackle on Phil Foden, Manuel Ugarte shown two yellow cards but not sent off, and Harry Maguire later awarding a “ridiculous” penalty against Whyte.
White’s call-up to the team to replace Jarrell Quansah was controversial. Thomas Tuchel has admitted he needs to “clear the air” with the team-mate the defender left behind when he left the 2022 World Cup for personal reasons. He rejected a subsequent call-up from Gareth Southgate following a disagreement with then assistant manager Steve Holland.
This self-imposed exile ended with Tuchel’s appointment as coach. But this was a damning message from England fans to Tuchel and White. Many have not forgiven him, and many apparently think he should not return to the squad for a 2026 World Cup spot.
White was booed when he came on as a substitute in the second half. But certainly never before has an England goalscorer been criticized so soon after scoring a goal.
A late penalty was unlucky, his outstretched boot arriving mere seconds after Vinas had scored 50-50. However, Valverde punished White and the England players from the spot in order to make the booing fans unhappy and send them home.
The home crowd barely cheered in front of Whyte’s goal, which came from a set piece. Few, if any, English players can claim to have had a chance to convince Tuchel that they deserve a spot this summer.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s missed header left the goal wide open, but it was a painful moment for the sub-striker, who was trying to shine in Harry Kane’s absence.
James Garner showed all-around qualities. Harry Maguire looked like he hadn’t been gone for 18 months. However, Phil Foden, in an England shirt, was once again unable to make a difference, with Noni Madueke forced off after a ferocious attack in the first half.
Ronald Araujo was lucky not to be penalized by referee Sven Jablonski or VAR for the vicious tackle that left Foden limping. Tuchel was furious at the call. But looking at the bigger picture, he will feel there are more questions than answers about who on this team can step up and produce in the summer.
Coach Tuchel: Satisfied with performance but criticizes those involved
England national team manager Thomas Tuchel:
“I liked the positivity, attitude and performance. Everyone was always ready to adapt to our questions. It was a very tactical match.”
“In the moments when we were very good, we didn’t achieve our goal of giving the game a little more freedom. We lacked the boost, but we kept trying.”
On the referee: “It’s a very soft penalty. Of course there’s contact, but it’s clear what the striker is trying to do. I was surprised that VAR was in place. I didn’t think it was working. The tackle on Foden wasn’t even checked. The tackle on Noni wasn’t even checked. And suddenly this is being checked.”
“It didn’t seem like a good performance (from those involved). It was a bad day at the office.”
Analysis: White’s strange night as Maguire and Calvert-Lewin’s fates intersect
England’s Harry Maguire heads in against Uruguay
Rob Dorsett of Sky Sports News:
“Ben White never escaped the headlines, and it was a night of tremendous highs and some terrible lows for the Arsenal defender. He was loudly booed by the home crowd when he came on to mark his departure from the England squad for personal reasons during the Qatar World Cup, but he scored his first England goal and conceded a penalty in stoppage time to deny England victory.
“His tap-in at the back post in the 81st minute was met with cheers from England, but then the stadium announcer read out his name and the boos returned, almost deafening. This was certainly tough on White. That must have tainted his special moment before the late VAR decision made it worse, but it was the kind of decision England should expect when facing international referees at the World Cup.
“Overall the game was pretty flat and lacked purpose, but the sure return of Harry Maguire was a big plus. He definitely boosted our World Cup chances, making a great block deep in stoppage time to avoid defeat for England, and even wearing the captain’s armband for the final 30 minutes. What a relief for him.”
“James Garner’s debut was a plus, neat and unadorned. Phil Foden looked busy and teasing before a tough challenge ended his night.
“But the story of the two Dominics up front is particularly important. Solanke looked bright and busy but wasn’t given a chance to score. Calvert-Lewin’s missed header from a set-piece will haunt him for days, especially if it stays in Tuchel’s memory and deprives him of a chance to qualify for the World Cup.”
What’s next for England?
On Tuesday, England host Japan in a friendly at Wembley. Kickoff at 7:45 p.m.
It will be manager Thomas Tuchel’s last chance to watch his players on an international stage before announcing his World Cup squad at the end of the season.
England will then play World Cup warm-up matches against New Zealand and Costa Rica before opening the tournament against Croatia on June 17th.
