Defender Ben White has returned to the England national team after a long absence, following a decision by coach Thomas Tuchel, thus ending what was described as an "international exile" that had persisted since his participation in the 2022 World Cup.

This return came after defender Jarell Quansah withdrew due to injury, which opened the door for the Arsenal player to be called up.

Coach Tuchel had wanted to call up White for some time, but the injuries the player suffered delayed this step, until "the circumstances finally aligned," as reports indicated.

The absence of the main full-back, Reece James, due to injury has increased the national team's need to strengthen this position, especially with Trent Alexander-Arnold being excluded from the current considerations.

White had voluntarily distanced himself from the national team since leaving England's camp during the Qatar World Cup for personal reasons and did not participate in any gatherings during the tenure of former coach Gareth Southgate. However, with Tuchel's arrival, the player expressed his desire to return, which has finally been realized with this new call-up.

This step comes as part of England's preparations for friendly matches against Uruguay and Japan, in the context of preparing for the 2026 World Cup. Tuchel aims to try out as many players as possible before finalizing his squad, while reintegrating names that were previously out of consideration.