Harry Maguire, the Manchester United defender, has recently shared his candid views on Ben White's decision to make himself unavailable for England ahead of Euro 2024. This comes after the Arsenal defender was not included in Gareth Southgate's latest Three Lions squad.
The Arsenal defender, who hasn't been selected for an England squad since the 2022 World Cup, reportedly left the camp due to 'personal reasons'. According to reports, an exchange between White and Steve Holland, England assistant coach is believed to have triggered this decision.
Holland allegedly remarked that White 'was not sufficiently interested in football', which seems to have led to the defender’s departure from the team and refusal to play since then. It appears that respect accorded towards him was at stake here; however, it is important to note that there was no 'row' between them.
Teammates looking to change White’s mind
Despite these claims circulating in media circles, both White’s representatives and Football Association (FA) declined any comment on this situation.
In light of these developments surrounding Ben White's unavailability for national duty with England squad ahead of Euro 2024, several players currently on international duty have broken their silence.
Declan Rice - a fellow Arsenal midfielder- expressed his disappointment over his teammate’s absence from national duty. He stated he would 'love' if White were playing for England again.
Arsenal midfielder, Declan Rice, said:
"I think we're all going to be on him when we get back [to Arsenal] to say... hopefully he can change his mind, but I don't know the ins and outs of that conversation. So there's nothing much I can say on that."
Maguire says there’s no bigger feeling than representing nation
Meanwhile Harry Maguire – who himself has been ruled out of Tuesday’s friendly against Belgium due to injury – also had something significant say about this matter. As one of English football’s most prominent figures today and a seasoned player with experience both domestically and internationally under his belt; his perspective adds another layer into understanding this complex situation involving Ben White.
Harry Maguire, Manchester United defender, said:
"Ben's an excellent footballer. He trained really well [at the World Cup before leaving early], but I honestly don't know the ins and outs of why he's not wanting to be in the squad at the moment.
"All I do know is that playing for your country is the greatest honour a footballer can get. When I was a young boy, I dreamt of playing for my country. Every opportunity I get, I will take. Playing for my country means absolutely everything to me."
The situation surrounding Ben White's decision to make himself unavailable for England squad ahead of Euro 2024 has stirred up a lot of discussion among players and fans alike. As we move closer to the tournament, it will be interesting to see how this story unfolds and what impact it may have on England's performance in Euro 2024.
