Ben White has not played for England since walking out of the Three Lions squad during the 2022 World Cup and Thomas Tuchel has spoken to the Arsenal defender about a return
13:31, 19 Mar 2025
Thomas Tuchel, Head Coach of England,
Thomas Tuchel has been given some advice ahead of his first England game(Image: Eddie Keogh - The FA, The FA via Getty Images)
Thomas Tuchel has been told Ben White deserves a ban from the England team after he walked out on Gareth Southgate.
England legend Chris Waddle dished out the blunt message to Tuchel, suggesting White should be snubbed on the international stage for throwing a tantrum.
Article continues below
White left the England camp at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar amongst rumours of a bust-up with Southgate's right-hand man Steve Holland. Since then, he's not pulled on the England shirt.
White, 27, hasn’t disclosed why he left the World Cup or the reason why he hasn't subsequently been involved with England. However, he has now opened the door to a return under the German.
Chatting to 10bet, Waddle, with an impressive 62 caps to his name, said: "I wouldn't bring Ben White back in. He said he didn't want to be picked again. He spat the dummy out, didn't he?
Ben White
Ben White is back in contention for England(Image: Getty Images)
Don't miss a thing with football updates!
Want to be on the ball with all of the latest football news? Well then sign up for the brilliant Daily Star Football email newsletter!
From the latest transfer news to breaking stories, get it all in your email inbox.
How do you sign up?
It only takes a matter of seconds.
Simply click on this link, then provide your email address and that's it, job done. You'll receive an email with all of the top football stories.
You can also sign up for our sport email, Off the Ball, for all the latest darts, boxing, snooker, F1 stories and more, right here
"So now he's all right to play. So, he wants to pick and choose his England career? Listen, you would never say you never want to play for England. I would never have said that," reports the Mirror.
"I would have played if I was 50. Modern-day players who say that, I'm not being picked, so don't pick me again, all of a sudden become available.
"For the time he didn't play, he didn't want to play, I would say, well, we'll give you the same ban. So, if it was a year or two years, then I'd consider you in two years' time."
Article continues below
Chris Waddle has dished out some blunt advice when it comes to playing for England, saying: "You should never say no to England. If you don't get on with the manager and you don't like the style of play, you wouldn't be picked anyway. But when you get a late call-up, you don't say no."
The football legend fell out of the national side's plans under Graham Taylor in the early 1990s, but Terry Venables was keen to reel him back into the international line-up – sadly, injury thwarted his comeback.
Waddle earned his final England cap in October 1991 during a slim 1-0 victory against Turkey, capping off an international journey that kicked off over six years prior and saw him as a mainstay in the team.