England manager Thomas Tuchel has defended Ben White, who was booed by some in the Wembley crowd during the match against Uruguay.
White, making his first appearance for England since missing the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, was booed when he came on as a substitute and again when his name was announced after scoring his first international goal in the 81st minute.
The Arsenal defender then converted the penalty for Uruguay’s equalizer in stoppage time.
“I heard there were boos,” Tuchel said at the post-match press conference. “I didn’t actually hear it on the field because I was involved in the changes and instructions, so I don’t think it can be the majority.
“There were some boos and mixed reactions to him, which is unfortunate, because of course we protect our players and he was great in camp and deserved to be there.
“He deserved to start and almost led us to the win, but he also understands that the same thing happened to other players before he came here.
“He’s got to take it on the chin. We’ll always protect him and hopefully we can forget about it because he’s ready to write some new chapters and we’re ready to give him a chance too. So hopefully everyone can move on and embrace it.”
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Rob Dorsett gives verdict on ‘special’ night for Ben White, who was booed for giving away a penalty after scoring on his return to international duty
Why was White booed?
White’s call-up to the team to replace Jarrell Quansah was controversial.
Tuchel admitted the defender needed to “clear the air” with the teammates he 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 manager, White’s first involvement with the national team since then.
But the boos were a disgusting message to Tuchel and White from England fans. Many do not forgive Tuchel for turning down the chance to represent his country, and many believe he should not return to the squad to qualify for the 2026 World Cup.
Henderson: Some fans don’t even know why they’re booing.
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Jordan Henderson has spoken out in support of Ben White after he was booed during England’s match against Uruguay.
Jordan Henderson, who was booed by England fans after his move to Saudi Arabia, insisted White should not take the negative reaction from supporters “too personally”.
“I’ve been through it myself and it’s part of being an England player,” Henderson said.
“Some of the fans may not even know why they’re booing, but they hear what’s being said in the media, and a lot of times what the media says isn’t true.
“Not many people know the details of what happened in Qatar and that is something we will deal with internally.
“Ben has been doing well since his return and we will support him as teammates.
“Some of us have been there and it’s hard when it’s you, but you have to try not to take it too personally, the media can report things a certain way but it’s not necessarily true and fans can pick it up and think it’s true.
“It’s really difficult when that happens so it’s important for us to make sure he’s okay. I’m sure he’s okay. I was happy that he did well and scored the goal. That’s the most important thing.”
England fans speak out over white boos
Ben White scores against Uruguay
Peter Smith of Sky Sports:
Has an England player ever been booed after scoring a goal for his country in this stadium? they have it now.
This was an important statement from an England supporter. Tuchel was right to point out that England players have been booed before. For example, Jordan Henderson was booed at Wembley after signing a contract to play in Saudi Arabia.
Henderson is now at Brentford and is no longer booed, but he did start against Uruguay as captain. A sign of how the story can move forward.
But will White’s ‘new chapter’ be written at the World Cup?
Remember, White was only an injury replacement on this team. Explaining why he chose White over Trent Alexander-Arnold to cover for Quansah, Tuchel said White fit the profile of the right-back he was looking for in his squad.
However, White was clearly below the pecking order. And he actually played as a center back against Uruguay. Marc Gehi and Ezri Konsa returned to the squad for the match against Japan and are among the players in contention to return in the defensive midfield. Mr. White is also low on the list in that category.
But he offers versatility and is now turning heads. But once the dust settles, Tuchel may wonder whether the noise and confusion around White is worth bringing him to this summer’s World Cup. It was clear what England fans would choose at Wembley.
Tuchel criticizes ‘very soft’ penalty awarded against Whyte
England national team manager Thomas Tuchel:
“I think it’s a very soft penalty. Of course there’s contact, but it’s clear what the striker is trying to do.”
“Maybe Ben was a little greedy in the moment too, but it wasn’t enough for him to overturn the call when the referee clearly signaled with both hands that he saw it.
“I was surprised that VAR was being introduced to overturn that because the tackle on Phil Foden was unchecked and the tackle on Noni was unchecked so I thought VAR wasn’t working.”
“And all of a sudden, this checked: OK, like I said, I don’t think that’s enough, but, well, that’s what it is.
“I heard that our goal was a tough block in front of the goal. I didn’t see it, so yeah, that’s how it is overall.”
