England boss Thomas Tuchel defended Ben White after sections of the Wembley crowd booed the Arsenal defender during the 1-1 friendly draw with Uruguay.
White, making his first England appearance since walking out of the Qatar World Cup in 2022, was jeered when he was substituted on and again when his name was announced after he scored his first international goal in the 81st minute. He later conceded a stoppage-time penalty which allowed Uruguay to equalise.
“I heard that he was booed,” Tuchel said after the match. “I didn’t hear it actually on the field because I was involved in the changes and instructions, so I didn’t hear it so I think then it cannot be the majority. There were some boos and some mixed reception for him, which I am disappointed about because of course we protect our players and he was excellent in camp and he deserved to come on. He deserved also to start and got us almost the winner, but I also understood that it happened to other players before here. He needs to take it on the chin. We will always protect him and hopefully we can put it behind [us] because he is ready to write some new chapters and we are ready to give him the chance, so hopefully everyone can move on and accept it.”
Why was White booed?
White’s recall as a replacement for Jarell Quansah proved controversial. He left the England squad during the 2022 World Cup for personal reasons and later rejected a call-up from Gareth Southgate after a disagreement with then-assistant Steve Holland. His self-imposed international exile ended when Tuchel took charge; this was his first involvement with the national team since those events.
The boos sent a clear message from fans unhappy that White turned down opportunities to represent England. Many supporters appeared to object to him being considered for a place in the 2026 World Cup squad.
Jordan Henderson, who himself has been booed by England fans in the past, defended White and urged him not to take the reaction personally. “I have been through it myself, but that is part and parcel of being an England player,” Henderson said. “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. Not many people know the ins and outs of what happened in Qatar and it is for us to deal with internally. Ben has been good since he came back in and we will support him as team-mates. A few of us have been there, it is difficult when it is you, but you have to try not to take it too personally… I was delighted he got on and got a goal, which is the most important thing.”
Reaction and outlook
Sky Sports’ Peter Smith noted that an England player being booed after scoring at Wembley is rare and that the episode was a stark statement from supporters. Henderson, who began the game as captain, was once booed after his move to Saudi Arabia but is now at Brentford and no longer faces that reaction — an example of how public narratives can change.
Tuchel defended selecting White as cover and praised his versatility. He said White matched the profile he wanted for the right-back role and can play in different positions. However, White remains down the pecking order at centre-back behind players such as Marc Guehi and Ezri Konsa, who will be available for the next game in Japan. Tuchel may still have to weigh whether the controversy and potential disruption around White make him a viable World Cup selection.
Tuchel on the penalty and VAR
Tuchel labelled the spot-kick awarded against White as “very soft.” “Of course there is contact, but it’s so obvious what the striker is trying to do. Maybe Ben is also a bit greedy in this moment, but to overturn a decision when the referee clearly, clearly made the signal with both hands that he saw it and it was not enough for him. Then to overturn it I was surprised VAR is in place because I thought it’s not working, because the tackle on Phil Foden was not even checked, tackle against Noni not even checked. And then suddenly, this one was checked. OK, like I said, I don’t think it’s enough, but OK, it is what it is.”
Tuchel also referenced an earlier incident before England’s goal that he believed had been a tough block, but he had not reviewed it himself.
Summary
White’s cameo delivered a first England goal but also a late penalty, and his return to the squad has reignited debate among fans about his place in the national setup. Tuchel and team-mates publicly backed him, stressing internal handling of past issues and offering support as White seeks to “write some new chapters” with England.