Ben White’s return to the England squad has been one of the most talked-about stories of the international break.
The Arsenal defender had an eventful evening against Uruguay at Wembley. He scored a goal, conceded a penalty and picked up a yellow card in just 21 minutes after coming on.
However, the biggest headline from the game was the reaction from the Wembley crowd, with sections of fans booing him.
Premier League winner Jordan Henderson has now stepped in to defend his teammate.
How would you rate Ben White’s performance on his England return vs Uruguay?
Scored a goal, conceded a penalty and picked up a yellow card all in 21 minutes
Jordan Henderson defends Ben White after being booed by England fans
Ben White’s situation has remained unclear ever since he left the England camp during the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
That lack of clarity has led to a lot of speculation, and that has influenced how some supporters have viewed him since.
Henderson, who is one of the senior figures in the squad, understands what it is like to face criticism from England fans. He has been booed himself in the past.
The former Liverpool captain has now offered his full support to White and urged fans not to believe everything they hear.
Speaking after the game, Henderson said, as relayed on HaytersTV: “I was delighted for Ben, coming back after a while, since Qatar. To get on and score, it must have been really nice for him. The penalty? Not for me! But it is what it is.
“I think he has come back really well. I think he is another one who has come in, settled straight away and trained well, and nice of him to get on the score sheet. As teammates, we are always there to support. I think a lot of the fans will be in support of all the England players, to be fair.
“I have been through it myself (getting booed), but that is part and parcel of being an England player. Some of the fans, maybe, don’t even know why they are booing you. They are listening to what’s being said in the media, and a lot of the time, what the media say, is not true.
“Not really many people know the ins and outs of what happened in Qatar. It’s for us to deal with internally, and I think Ben has been brilliant since he has come back in, and we will support him as teammates.”
Should Ben White be a starter for England at the World Cup?
England fans should forget the past and back Ben White
The reality is that there is still no clear public explanation of what happened with White in Qatar. That lack of information means fans should simply not jump to conclusions.
Thomas Tuchel has already told supporters to move on and accept that White is here to stay. That reflects the stance within the England camp.
The Arsenal man is an exceptional player who has earned his place because he is good enough. He should be supported instead of being criticised for something that has never been fully explained publicly.
With the World Cup coming up and England being one of the favourites, it’s time for everyone to be united. Backing White would be a great way to start.
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