Ben White left the England World Cup squad on Wednesday 30th November, with the FA officially stating that the £50m Arsenal man had departed Qatar for personal reasons.
In their statement, the FA asked that people respect the 25-year-old’s privacy, which led many to wonder what had actually happened.
Now, there has been an interestingly update on White’s situation.
Why has Ben White left the England squad?
Well, according to Jeremy Cross of the Daily Star, the Arsenal No.4 had a bust up with Steve Holland at England’s Al Wakrah Sports Club training base in front of the entire squad, which led to his early return to the United Kingdom.
The argument occurred when White turned up for a team meeting ahead of the Group B clash with the United States, where the Brighton academy graduate was unaware of some vital information relating to his personal stats, according to Cross.
It is also said that Holland was less than impressed about the England international’s knowledge of the United States.
Cross adds that the Arsenal defender also became unhappy in Qatar, and struggled to bond with his fellow England stars – judging by the footage below, he had no issues getting along with his old Leeds teammate Kalvin Phillips.
It is the latest chapter in what has been a very intriguing scenario.
Like the FA, Arsenal also posted an official announcement of the news, adding “we’re all with you, Ben” to suggest that something awful may have occurred in his personal life.
White did not play a single minute of World Cup action in Qatar, sitting on the bench as England recorded a 6-2 win over Iran and were then held to a 0-0 draw by the United States.
The Poole-born defender was then left out of the squad entirely as England defeated Wales by a 3-0 scoreline on Tuesday 29th November, with the FA then officially announcing his departure on the 30th, as aforesaid.
Shame for Ben White
Whatever happened in Qatar at England’s Al Wakrah Sports Club training base, it is a shame to see White’s first World Cup campaign end like this.
The £93,000-a-week man has been superb for Arsenal so far this season, starting all 14 Premier League games for the Gunners as they find themselves five points clear of Manchester City at the summit.
White will surely be involved in future international tournaments as a result of his talent, although it is certainly sad to see his first taste of the World Cup end in bitter fashion.
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