Thomas Tuchel responds after England fans boo Ben White again

Tuchel defended White after England fans booed the Arsenal defender again during Thursday's Nations League match against Croatia at Wembley.

Ben White was booed by England supporters as he came on as a substitute in the 78th minute against Croatia at Wembley on Thursday evening, continuing a pattern of hostility from Three Lions fans that dates back to his departure from the 2022 World Cup squad in Qatar.

White left the World Cup midway through the tournament due to personal reasons and did not play for England again under Gareth Southgate. He ended his four-year exile in March when Thomas Tuchel recalled him for friendlies against Uruguay and Japan, but was greeted with boos in both matches. Earlier this week, White suggested supporters would not boo him if they knew the full story behind his exit.

In his post-match press conference, Tuchel said he did not hear the boos and expressed hope they would not happen again. "He's a player of us. Since I'm in charge, he's desperate to come and to be with the group," Tuchel said. "He's on the highest level.

He can really help us to win football matches." Tuchel added that he had no reason to doubt White's commitment and believed the defender would not reconsider his England career because of the reception.