Revealed: Ben White 'struggled to settle' in England camps before dramatically departing 2022 World Cup early as Arsenal star turns down Three Lions call-up

Despite being in stellar form with Arsenal, White was absent from Gareth Southgate's 23-man squad for the upcoming friendlies against Brazil and Belgium. The manager subsequently revealed that Arsenal sporting director Edu informed him that the defender has requested to be left out of the national team set-up. The defender previously flew back from the 2022 World Cup in Qatar a day after England’s 3-0 win against Wales and has since not featured for the national team.

A report from The Athletic suggests that White faced difficulties coping with being out of the starting lineup, often not even considered the second-choice player for his position. He did not play a minute in England's Euro 2020 campaign and subsequently remained unused in the World Cup as well, which further unsettled him.

A reported confrontation with England's assistant manager, Steve Holland, further exacerbated White's unease. The altercation occurred when White received a verbal dressing-down from Southgate's right-hand man in the dressing room during a tactical session. The disagreement with Holland may have influenced White's decision to withdraw from the national team, but the details of the final meeting between Southgate and White in Qatar remain undisclosed.

Southgate claimed that the altercation with Holland was 'overblown' and there's no connection between White's decision to refuse national duty with that incident in Qatar.

“There’s no issue between us and there was never any issue with Steve Holland," he said. "That has been mentioned in articles and I don’t like that. People can talk about me and I have to accept that things get said that are false, about me. For whatever reason in this role, you have to stomach that. But I’m not prepared for that to happen to a key member of my coaching team. That is not the reason Ben is not available for selection.”

White's decision has effectively ruled him out of contention for Euro 2024. However, White's commitment to Arsenal is evident in his recent contract extension and impressive performances on the pitch. The player remains determined to contribute to Arsenal's efforts to win the Premier League and Champions League. Nonetheless, his decision to focus on club football underscores the challenges faced by fringe players in international tournaments.