Ben White may likely make it back to England national team after his premature exit from the 2022 World Cup as Gareth Southgate braces up for the Euros 2024 qualifiers.
Ben White made it to Gareth Southgate’s England 2022 World Cup squad but quit the tournament midway.
We earlier reported Ben White suddenly exited the 2022 World Cup tournament for mysterious reasons leaving a void in the Three Lions squad in Qatar.
The reason for Ben White’s 2022 World Cup exit was learnt through the English FA who dropped a vague note on the defender’s premature departure from the tournament.
According to the FA, Ben White left 2022 World Cup tournament for ‘personal reasons’ best known to the player.
Sources close to the team revealed Ben White exited the tournament after a bust-up with England coaching staff.
While the FA offered no tangible explanation for Ben White’s exit, it was believed the 25-year-old’s international career with the England national team was at risk.
Ben White was not included in Gareth Southgate’s opening Euros 2024 qualifers win over Italy and Ukraine in March after the World Cup chasm.
However, Daily Mail reports Gareth Southgate is set to recall the Arsenal defender back to the Three Lions squad as they prepare for Euro 2024 qualifiers second round of games against Malta and North Macedonia.
Gareth Southgate’s sudden interest in Ben White has been linked to his depleted options in the England defense as the Three Lions get ready to square up with Malta and North Macedonia.
Southgate is set to miss Manchester City star Kyle Walker in the double header clash as the latter will be retained by Manchester City ahead of the Champions League final against Inter Milan which comes up few days after the Euros 2024 qualifiers.
Another one of his priority defender and Chelsea star, Reece James, is also ruled out.
Reece James picked up a harmstring issue in Chelsea’s Champions League defeat to Real Madrid at Santiago Bernabeu in April.
Despite the harmstring issue which left him a bit uncomfortable in the game, the 23-year-old continued till the final minute. However, Frank Lampard later confirmed he has been ruled out for the rest of the season due to the harmstring issue.
Reece James and Kyle Walker made Gareth Southgate’s squad that defeated Italy and Ukraine in the first round of Euro 2024 qualifiers but they are set to miss the second round of action coming up in June.
Southgate is now hoping to draft back Ben White into the lineup to stand in for the missing players.
White was key to Arsenal’s Premier League title chase since the beginning of the season before earning a call-up for the Three Lions 2022 World Cup squad.
Despite his premature exit from the tournament, Ben White was immediately back to action with the Gunners after the tournament.
Before and after the World Cup, Ben White has not missed any Arsenal Premier League match. He has played all the club’s 37 Premier League games so far scoring 2 goals with 5 assists.
The former Brighton star is one of the new recruits in England national team. He earned his first England call-up under Gareth Southgate in 2021 and has made only four appearances for the team.
He will hope to reset his England national team career after the World Cup chasm if he is called up by Gareth Southgate again.
