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According to reports, England defender Ben White, who left the Three Lions FIFA World Cup 2022 squad, had a bust-up with assistant coach Steve Holland. The Arsenal defender was hence unhappy in the England camp and struggled to mix with his fellow teammates. The English FA released a statement addressing White’s exit which spoke about ‘personal reasons’ for his decision.
White didn’t play for a single minute in England’s three group-stage matches and the Round of 16 clash. According to Daily Star, White was unhappy after England benched him for the matches against Iran, Wales, and the USA and against Senegal in the pre-quarterfinals.
Hence the Arsenal centre-back confronted Holland in front of the entire squad during a training session. This led to a heated exchange between the two when all players came together for a team meeting before England’s goalless draw against the USA. The England management was unhappy with White.
The English FA released a statement confirming his exit which said, “Ben White has left England’s training base in Al Wakrah and returned home for personal reasons. The Arsenal defender is not expected to return to the squad for the remainder of the tournament.”
In the World Cup so far, England has emerged as one of the strongest teams in the tournament. Three Lions are undefeated in their four games and have scored in twice or more on each occasion barring a 0-0 draw against the USA. England’s top scorers so far in the tournament have been Marcus Rashford and Bukayo Saka.
Each player has scored three goals, whereas English captain Harry Kane leads the team with three assists. Now the Three Lions will face off against the defending World Cup champions France at the Al Bayt Stadium. Both teams have played each twice in the marquee tournament and the English have registered wins on both occasions.