“ I thought we were past that chapter.” Thomas Tuchel used England's 2-1 win over Croatia to push back on the reception Ben White received at Wembley and to argue that the defender should be judged on what he is doing now. White left the England setup during the knockout phase of the 2022 World Cup after making himself unavailable under Sir Gareth Southgate, then returned under Tuchel in March.

Tuchel's case for White

Tuchel's point was simple enough. Since he became England head coach, White “doesn't put a foot wrong”, and he said there is no reason to doubt the defender's commitment or passion. White has also made 7 Premier League appearances for Arsenal this season, which gives Tuchel something concrete to lean on when he talks about current form rather than old grievances.

The numbers from Wembley did not tell the whole story, but they did fit Tuchel's view. White's cameo lasted 12 minutes and carried a 6.5 rating against Croatia. Tuchel also said he can “really help us to win football matches”, which is the part of this that feels most relevant now. England do not need a culture war around a substitute appearance, they need their best players available and trusted.

What the Wembley reaction means

White was booed when he came on during Thursday's match, and Tuchel said he heard the applause for Luka Modrić instead. That split reception is the awkward bit England still have to deal with. Tuchel is trying to close the book on the 2022 fallout, but the crowd response showed it is not shut yet.

There was plenty else going on in the game too. Harry Kane scored the winner after Petar Sučić levelled for Croatia, and Kane had already described Modrić as “an inspiration” and “a wonderful person”. Modrić, who is 41, still appeared in the second half at Wembley, which only added to the odd mix of admiration, tension and noise around the night.

England's place in March's Nations League quarter-finals is already secure, and Sunday's trip to Spain now carries the chance to top Group A3. White's reception may still be debated, but Tuchel has made his position plain, he wants a clean break, and White's next England minutes will be judged against that.

Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 3 outlets. How we work →