SOCCER: England calls up Ben White, passes over Trent Alexander-Arnold

England has called up Arsenal right-back Ben White for upcoming international friendlies following an injury to Bayer Leverkusen center-back Jarell Quansah.

Newcastle United's Harvey Barnes has also been added to the 35-man squad after Arsenal's Eberechi Eze suffered an injury. White’s inclusion, however, has drawn the most attention, as he has not played for England since 2022 amid reports of a falling out with the former coaching staff.

White, 28, has four caps for England but last featured in March 2022 against Ivory Coast during the Qatar camp. Personal reasons were cited at the time for his absence, though reports suggested he chose not to be available for the remainder of Gareth Southgate’s tenure.

Barnes has made just one appearance for the senior team, in October 2020. This season, he has been Newcastle’s second-leading scorer with 14 goals across all competitions. Scotland had previously hoped to convince the winger to join its World Cup squad.

England manager Thomas Tuchel, who took over in late 2024, opted to select White for matches against Uruguay on Friday and Japan next Tuesday, despite the defender having started only five Premier League games for Arsenal this season. Notably, Real Madrid right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold was omitted from the squad.

When asked if Alexander-Arnold’s exclusion makes it unlikely for him to feature in the World Cup squad, Tuchel said: “No. I know that it is a tough decision for Trent as it is for, I guess, for Ollie Watkins at the moment, and for Luke Shaw. These tough decisions come with the job.”

With starting right-back Reece James injured, Tuchel highlighted the depth England possesses at the position, noting confidence in players such as Watkins based on their performances in previous tournaments and qualifiers.

“I know it’s a tough one. Trent is a big name, a huge talent with a big career,” Tuchel added. “But I feel like I know what Trent can give us and decided to stick to the players who were in camp with us. It reflects the evidence from September, October, November, rather than what Trent cannot offer. I know very well his strengths, having played against him many times with Liverpool, and I know what he can provide.”

England faces Uruguay on Friday and Japan next Tuesday in matches that will serve as preparation for the upcoming World Cup.

—Field Level Media/Reuters