In Friday's friendly match where England drew 1-1 with Uruguay, Arsenal defender Ben White returned to the Three Lions after four years, but was unexpectedly met with boos from the fans.

In a post-match interview, England manager Thomas Tuchel clearly expressed his disappointment and firmly stated his support for the defender.

White came on as a substitute in the 69th minute of the match. He had previously left the 2022 Qatar World Cup early due to disagreements with former manager Gareth Southgate's coaching staff and subsequently refused to be called up to the national team.

Due to a teammate's injury, Tuchel recalled this key defender to his squad. Although White withstood immense pressure after coming on, scoring his first international goal and briefly helping the team take the lead, the boos from some fans did not cease.

Faced with the fans' overreaction, Tuchel stood firmly on the players' side in a post-match interview. He admitted that he was focused on tactical adjustments on the field and did not immediately hear the boos, but felt very regretful after learning what had happened.

“I’m very disappointed because we should naturally protect our players,” Tuchel emphasized. “It’s impossible that most fans were booing. White was outstanding in training camp, he fully deserved this opportunity to play, even to start. He almost brought us the victory.”

“This has happened before, and White needs to face it all honestly. Our whole team will always protect him. He is ready to write a new chapter for England, and we are ready to give him the opportunity. Hopefully, everyone can put this behind them, look forward, and truly accept him.”

Image source: Internet