England midfielder Jordan Henderson voiced strong support for teammate Ben White following boos from the Wembley crowd during the recent friendly draw against Uruguay. The Arsenal defender faced jeers upon entering the pitch for his first national team appearance since withdrawing from the 2022 World Cup squad for personal reasons. White had also made himself unavailable for selection throughout Gareth Southgate’s tenure.
New Opportunity Under Tuchel
Thomas Tuchel offered White a fresh chance, and the 28-year-old delivered a notable 25-minute stint. He replaced Fikayo Tomori amid boos, then opened the scoring before conceding a late penalty that enabled Federico Valverde to equalize for Uruguay.
Henderson Shares Personal Experience
Henderson, who endured similar fan backlash after his 2023 move to Saudi Arabia, emphasized team solidarity. “As team-mates we are always there to support,” Henderson stated. “A lot of the fans will be in support of all of the players.”
He added that some boos stem from media narratives rather than facts. “Some of the fans probably don’t even know why they are booing, they listen to what is being said in the media, and a lot of the time what the media says isn’t true,” Henderson explained. “Not many people know the ins and outs of what happened in Qatar and it is for us to deal with internally. Ben has been good since he came back in and we will support him as team-mates.”
Henderson urged resilience against external noise. “A few of us have been there, it is difficult when it is you, but you have to try not to take it too personally, the media can spin things in certain ways, which isn’t always the truth and then fans can pick up on that and think it is the truth.” He expressed relief at White’s goal: “It is really difficult when that happens, so it is important for us to make sure he is OK, which I am sure he is. I was delighted he got on and got a goal, which is the most important thing.”
Tuchel Addresses Crowd Reaction
England manager Thomas Tuchel called the incident disappointing. “I think it has happened before to some players here which is disappointing because I think it does not help no one,” Tuchel remarked post-match. “I think it was mixed reactions, some cheered, some booed. I was not even aware of it but people told me now. I was in the tunnel, I did not hear it but hopefully it is settled.”
