Summary
Success for England requires unity, leadership, passion, and patriotism, not just a star-studded squad.
England icon Chris Waddle believes Ben White shouldn't earn a call-up due to his past actions.
Thomas Tuchel is welcoming White back to the squad for the 2026 World Cup, carefully considering his injury recovery.
Playing for England and earning a starring role in their pursuit of ending a very well-documented 60-year trophy drought takes more than just natural ability - it requires a winning formula that goes beyond individual talent. Take the golden generation of the mid to late 2000s, for example. With household names like David Beckham, Wayne Rooney, Frank Lampard, and Steven Gerrard, the team had all the firepower they needed, yet they still couldn’t seal the deal. It wasn’t a lack of skill; they had that in spades, but something crucial was missing.
Fast forward to Gareth Southgate’s squads, and the missing piece of the puzzle became clear. Success was never just about having a squad packed with star-studded names; it was about leadership, passion, patriotism, and above all, unity. That’s what had propelled this new generation closer to silverware than any of their predecessors. The most recent team may not have always shined with the same star power, but they played with a collective purpose that turned the dream of glory into a tangible goal.
With that precedent in mind, retired ’90s England icon Chris Waddle - one of Britain's most entertaining players ever, with 62 caps to his name - believes there’s one player in contention for Thomas Tuchel’s first major international tournament squad who simply doesn’t deserve a seat on the plane.
Harry Kane, Marcus Rashford and Jude Bellingham Related
25 Highest-Paid English Footballers in 2025 [Ranked]
The highest-paid English footballers in the world have been listed, including Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham and Bukayo Saka.
Chris Waddle Believes Ben White Should Be Banned From England Call-Up
He believes the Arsenal defender shouldn't be given a rite of passage for 2026 World Cup
Arsenal's Ben White looks dejected
Ben White, who is considered among the best right-backs in the Premier League when he's fully fit, had a complicated relationship with former Three Lions' boss Gareth Southgate and his assistant Steve Holland, with problems stemming from the 2022 World Cup after Tuchel's predecessor's second-in-command berated the Arsenal star in front of his teammates shortly before the defender called quits ahead of the knockout stages.
But now that it's being reported the 27-year-old is eyeing a return to the Three Lions' first-team reckoning under the country's new German boss, many big names have chimed in on the debate over whether he should be allowed to. One such example of someone who believes he shouldn't is former Tottenham, Newcastle, and Marseille midfielder Chris Waddle. A member of the 1990 squad that reached the World Cup semi-finals under Bryan Robson's supervision, the 64-year-old told 10bet, as per the Mirror:
"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? 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. 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."
He continued: "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. 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."
Thomas Tuchel's Stance on the Matter
The German seems open to welcoming White back into the fold
Thomas Tuchel
It has been two years since White made his last appearance for England, as the Arsenal defender had placed himself in self-imposed exile after earning just four caps for the Three Lions. But now, it appears all parties are open to a return ahead of the 2026 World Cup. Though only recently coming back from a lengthy injury lay-off, he was one of 55 players sounded out by Tuchel in a series of phone calls.
The new boss confirmed his return to contention last Friday (see the full interview below), as he said after giving the likes of Jordan Henderson a lifeline too:
"He loves to be back in the squad. I just think it’s a bit too early now for him given the seriousness of his injury. I'm delighted to announce he is back."
England embark on a new era under just their third non-English manager - following in the footsteps of Fabio Capello and Sven-Goran Eriksson - this Friday, March 21, as they face Albania in their opening 2026 World Cup qualifier. Three days later, on Monday, March 24, they will return to Wembley Stadium to host Latvia in their second qualifying clash.
All statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt (correct as of 19/03/2025)