Arabic version: بن وايت يقول إن قصة غيابه عن إنجلترا لا تزال غير معلنة

According to BBC News, Arsenal defender Ben White says people do not know the “full story” behind his previous decision to make himself unavailable for England selection, but he would make the same choice again. White has been named in Thomas Tuchel’s squad for the upcoming Nations League fixtures.

White left England’s camp at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar to return home for personal reasons. He was then unavailable for selection for the remainder of Gareth Southgate’s reign. Asked how he would respond to people who define his England career by events in Qatar, the 29-year-old said he had never shared the full story and would not “put anyone under the bus”.

The defender said his return to the England setup had been “amazing”, while also describing the situation as “a bit tricky and not straightforward”. Reflecting on his earlier decision, White said he would not have acted differently, adding that he made a decision he would “probably continue to make”.

White made his first England appearance in more than three years in March’s 1-1 draw with Uruguay. He was booed by some supporters after coming on at Wembley, before scoring and then conceding the penalty that brought Uruguay level. White called it a night full of emotions, but said it was a good night.

England play Croatia at Wembley on Thursday, 12 November, before facing world champions Spain in Madrid three days later. White, who has six England caps, said being called up remains “an amazing privilege” and that he is looking forward to the international break.