Ben White’s decision to reject an England call-up adds him to the list of 11 other players who have chosen not to represent the Three Lions.
The Arsenal defender has decided not to represent the Three Lions, prompting Southgate to express his disappointment with the choice while dismissing any speculation of a rift with coach Steve Holland.
Gareth Southgate stated, “We, John McDermott and I, had a call from Edu (Arsenal sporting director) last week, and he said Ben didn’t want to be considered for England at this time,”
“For me, that is a great shame. He is a player we took to the Euros, a player we took to the World Cup, and I spoke to him post-Qatar because I wanted to pick him.”
Ben White isn’t the only player to have snubbed the chance to play for his country. There’s a list of 11 other players who have rejected the chance to represent England.
11 Players That Have Rejected An England Call-Up
Chris Sutton
Chris Sutton declined an opportunity to play for England’s B team under manager Glenn Hoddle, a decision that ultimately prevented him from representing the senior side again.
Reflecting on the refusal, Sutton said, “I phoned him up and said I wasn’t going to play for the B team, and he said I’d never play for England again. And you have to say he was right!”
Michael Carrick
After being absent from international duty for nearly three years, Michael Carrick rejected Roy Hodgson’s invitation to join the England Euro 2012 squad. However, two months later, he made a comeback to the international scene and was included in the starting lineup for four out of five England matches.
Ben Foster
During Fabio Capello’s tenure as manager, Ben Foster opted to step back from international football without formally notifying the Italian that he would no longer be available for selection. Capello allegedly only learned of Foster’s decision after reading about it on Birmingham City’s website.
Micah Richards
Former Manchester City player and popular pundit Micah Richards opted to represent Team GB at the 2012 Olympic Games instead of being part of Roy Hodgson’s EURO 2012 squad.
Richards was listed as a standby player and would have been called up to the EURO 2012 squad following Gary Cahill’s injury, but he decided to prioritise playing at the Olympic Games instead.
David Bentley
David Bentley earned a senior call-up during his peak performances at Blackburn Rovers but ultimately didn’t get the chance to play as he remained on the bench. Following the snub, he declined the opportunity to join the England U21s in order to concentrate on his club career.
Tom Ince
Former Blackpool star, Tom Ince turned down a spot in England’s U21 European Championship squad, alluding to his age.
Despite helping the Three Lions qualify, he opted not to be included in the final squad. He wanted to give other young players the opportunity to experience the tournament that he had already participated in years prior.
Callum Hudson-Odoi
Hudson-Odoi declined the opportunity to join the England U21 squad, much to Southgate’s disappointment. The now-first-team England boss said, “By not being in the Under-21s, he misses a bit of an opportunity to impress us and come across if we need players for training and those sorts of things.”
Nevertheless, Hudson-Odoi has earned three caps for England, starting in two of those appearances.
Danny Drinkwater
Reportedly, former Chelsea midfielder Danny Drinkwater declined to aid Southgate in addressing an injury crisis in November 2017, choosing to stay at his club for treatment. Subsequently, he was never selected for the national team again.
Mason Greenwood
Mason Greenwood chose not to join the senior squad in 2021, prioritising his development at Manchester United instead. He has not been picked for the England squad since.
Jude Bellingham
Amid a gruelling Bundesliga campaign with Borussia Dortmund, Jude Bellingham requested not to join the England squad, needing a rest from football. Remarkably, he played 46 games that season at just 18 years old.
Reece James
Reece James, similar to Bellingham, has also opted out of an England call-up in the past to concentrate on his fitness at Chelsea. The right-back has missed 109 games of football due to injuries over the past five seasons.
Add Sportslens to your Google News Feed!
