Ben White could still wear the England national team shirt if the defender changes his mind and decides to play for the team again.
White has taken himself out of the pool of players the Three Lions can rely on after leaving their World Cup camp in 2022.
The defender has been an asset for Arsenal in the last two terms and seems to get better whenever he plays.
England wants to win Euro 2024 and wants to pick the best squad possible for the competition, making White a player who could be helpful.
However, before the latest England squad was released, he informed the coaches that he was not available for selection.
It is a decision they are not happy about, but they respect it as the defender has the right to choose whether to play for his country or not.
However, England manager Gareth Southgate has not completely closed the door on the defender and said, as quoted by the Daily Mail:
‘It’s really for Ben now. Dec is obviously in a difficult situation you’re asking him about a team-mate and he’s going to be careful what he says. As I’ve said to you, the door is open for us.
‘That’s clearly difficult ahead of the Euros, where you’ve got players that have played all the way through but we have no idea of knowing who’s going to be available in that area of the pitch.
‘I respected the situation as Arsenal have contacted us. So in the end, I know the conversation I had with him last March. I felt I should back away from it a little bit. But I’ve always left the door open. I was keen to bring him in this camp.’
Just Arsenal Opinion
It is sad that White does not want to play for England, but he is a good professional and we respect his decision.
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