Ben White Says England Exile Story Is Misunderstood

Arsenal defender Ben White has said people do not know the "full story" behind his decision to make himself unavailable for England selection, but he has made clear that he would make the same call again.

The comments point to personal or private considerations that have never been fully explained in public. White's remarks, as reported so far, do not set out what those factors were, which leaves much of the reasoning behind his withdrawal from the national team unclear to fans and observers.

What comes through is conviction rather than regret. White is standing by the decision, and his words suggest he feels his side of the story has been overlooked as the subject has followed him through his career.