Ashley Young Questions Ben White’s Interview About His World Cup Exit

Ashley Young believes Ben White’s recent comments about leaving England’s camp during the 2022 World Cup raised more questions than they answered. The Arsenal defender spoke of communication problems but did not reveal the full circumstances.

Speaking on The Overlap, Young said White had the choice either to explain what happened or to show that he had moved on from the matter. He felt that a direct answer closing the subject might have limited speculation, while acknowledging that White was responding to a journalist’s question and had not deliberately reopened the debate.

White left England’s squad midway through the tournament in Qatar, with personal reasons cited at the time. After a period away from the national team, he returned to the squad under Thomas Tuchel and was booed by some fans during his international return this year. Young said he found it hard to understand a player being booed for England, especially since fans do not know the full circumstances.

Young stressed that White was not obliged to reveal his private details, despite his curiosity about what had happened, and described withdrawing from a major international tournament as a hugely significant decision for any player. He also hoped White would receive a better welcome in England’s next two matches against Croatia and Spain, while the priority remains for the player to rebuild his international career after returning to Tuchel’s plans.