Arsenal fullback Ben White made a memorable return to international football, scoring for England national football team in their 1-1 draw against Uruguay national football team at Wembley Stadium on Friday.
The Arsenal star, featuring for the Three Lions for the first time over three years, came off the bench to break the deadlock in the second half.
White reacted quickest to a corner kick, tapping home from close range in the final nine minutes to give England the lead.
However, England’s advantage was short-lived as Federico Valverde struck late on to rescue a draw for Uruguay, calmly converting a late penalty after sustained pressure in the final minutes of the encounter.
White’s goal marked a significant moment in his international career, having recently earned a recall after a prolonged absence from the national setup.
The 28-year-old had last been called up in November 2022 ahead of the commencement of the FIFA World Cup in Qatar but had not featured regularly since then.
The Gunners defender was called up to replace Jarell Quansah of Bayer Leverkusen, who withdrew from the squad due to injury ahead of the March double-header.
Introduced with just 19 minutes remaining in place of Fikayo Tomori, the former Brighton & Hove Albion defender made an immediate impact despite receiving a mixed reception from sections of the crowd.
His goal takes his tally to two in six appearances for England, underlining his ability to contribute at both ends of the pitch.
However, White’s night ended on a slightly sour note after he conceded a late penalty, which ultimately led to Uruguay’s equaliser.
Despite the setback, the performance will boost his chances of earning further opportunities as England prepare for upcoming fixtures against Japan.
White will be aiming to cement his place in the squad as preparations intensify ahead of the next FIFA World Cup tournament in USA, Canada, and Mexico.