Rice Calls Ben White Qatar Debate Pointless After Wembley Boos

• Declan Rice says England’s squad does not talk about Ben White’s 2022 World Cup exit, per BBC Sport.
• White, the Arsenal defender, was booed at Wembley after coming on as a substitute in England’s 2-1 win over Croatia on Thursday.
• Rice, 27, says White has moved on and is fully focused on playing for England.

Inside the England Camp, Nobody Brings Up White’s Qatar Exit

Declan Rice wants the debate about Ben White to end, and he said so in blunt terms. The England and Arsenal midfielder said: “It’s a pointless conversation, Ben has moved on, no-one talks about it around the dinner table, no-one speaks about it in the pool, we just play football and do what we need to do.”

White, his Arsenal teammate, was jeered by the Wembley crowd when he came on as a substitute in England’s 2-1 Nations League win over Croatia on Thursday. Some fans have not forgiven him for quitting the World Cup squad in 2022, and Rice has now come out in his defence.

Why the Wembley crowd turned on White

White left England’s camp at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar to return home for personal reasons. He then made himself unavailable for selection for the rest of Gareth Southgate’s reign. After Thomas Tuchel brought him back into the squad, some fans booed him on his return in March, and they did it again against Croatia.

Tuchel had asked England fans to stop booing White before the Croatia game. White spoke last week about playing in an England shirt but refused to go into detail about why he flew home from Qatar. Before the Croatia match he said people did not know the “full story” behind his departure and that he still backed his decision.

Rice defends his friend’s character

Rice, speaking to Radio 5 Live, questioned why the subject keeps returning. “The incident with Ben was over five years ago, I don’t know why it is still a conversation to be honest,” he said.

He described a player who has put the episode behind him. “Knowing Ben, knowing the character he is, he has totally moved on from all of that,” Rice said. “He always wears the shirt with pride and every time he puts on the shirt, he gives 100 percent.”

Rice also pointed to how White handled the reception on Thursday. “It shows his character. It is not easy being booed coming on at Wembley, but to show his mental strength to play the game and to play well, like he did in the previous months, is a real testament to him.”

Rice also said: “Ben has moved on from what’s happened in the past, he’s totally focused on playing for England. When he’s been fit and available he’s constantly put himself forward to play for England.”

He added: “He loves being here, it’s not like he doesn’t like being here, he loves playing for England, loves being around the lads.”

Rice said fans would see a different player if they knew him better. “If people knew and understood Ben White as a character he’s not fazed by anything, he goes with the flow and he just wants to play football and for England.”

He accepted that supporters can boo. “Fans are entitled to their opinion, it is what it is but he doesn’t feel that way with England. He wants to come out and play his best football and enjoy himself. I think that’s credit to him, coming on and playing for England and being booed is not easy but the way his character is it really helps him.”

On whether the squad has dealt with it internally, Rice said: “It’s not been a conversation for the team. It’s so long ago now, it’s nearly five years and it doesn’t need to keep getting brought up. We need to look forward to the future and what Ben White is going to do in an England shirt, that’s the most important thing.”

Rice also said White has “an exciting future ahead with this England squad”.

Competition is nothing new for Rice

Rice also talked about his own place in the England midfield. He said he will embrace the competition from Bournemouth’s Alex Scott, who took his place last month. “To be honest, Alex Scott playing was incredible. The way he’s been playing for Bournemouth the last two or three seasons has been remarkable.”

“The way he’s being spoken about is totally right because of the levels he’s set for himself and I totally understand playing for England comes with competition.”

He pointed to the competition at Arsenal, where the Bruno Guimaraes signing added another midfielder. “When we signed Bruno Guimaraes, when we signed Zubimendi, when we had Myles, Merino, Odegaard, you’re competing with six midfielders at your club every day so for me there’s nothing different throughout my whole career there’s been competition. It’s normal.”

What comes next for White

White returned to the England fold under Tuchel after a long absence from the squad. Rice’s message from inside the camp is that the squad has moved on. He spoke before England’s Nations League game against Spain on Sunday, and the next time White walks out in an England shirt will show whether the crowd agrees.