Behind the tattoos, designer clothes and call-up rejection drama, SAMI MOKBEL uncovers the REAL Ben White - and the truth behind why he walked out on England

Tattoos? Check. Earrings? Check. Designer clothes? Check. Trendy haircut? Check. Tan? Check.

It’s easy to jump to conclusions about Ben White.

On face value, he fits the stereotype of a modern player. Image first, football second - a player that appears to have little affinity for a sport that bankrolls his enviable lifestyle.

After all, he is on the record explaining that he doesn’t watch football. That might jar with some, but White’s priorities are family, wife and his beloved dogs. And what’s wrong with that?

Yet, with all that said and to dispel one of the most prevalent myths about White’s persona, football is fundamental to the Arsenal defender’s being.

As news of his decision to reject an England recall broke, there was further ammunition to perpetuate their view that he is unpatriotic, self-centred and flashy.

To many, he will forever be known as the man who rejected England and will always polarise opinion.

Those close to him, however, paint him in a different light. Misunderstood. Generous. Unassuming. Focussed.

From a frightening childhood illness that attacked his immune disorder, to being dumped by Southampton’s academy, to his undying devotion to Marcelo Bielsa’s tortuous ‘murderball’ methods, the 26-year-old’s journey has been plotted with hardships.

But, ultimately, it’s a story of success earned against the backdrop of shattering setbacks.

White wouldn’t expect you to break out the violins - but just an opportunity to hear him out.

‘He is the type of boy you can’t dislike,’ Chris Hughton, manager at Brighton when White broke first broke into the senior set-up, told Mail Sport.

‘The type of boy you want to see do well. A quiet lad. Very unassuming. 

‘Occasionally you’ll get a young lad come into the changing room who is full of confidence.

‘But in my experience most aren’t. They don’t want to come across cocky.

‘This is Ben’s personality. For all the things I’ve heard about him recently, I don’t see that in him.

'I see someone focussed, someone not so comfortable in the limelight.’

The vibes are similar the deeper you delve. Fiercely loyal to those in his tight inner circle, White’s bond with Kalvin Phillips following their time together at Leeds has stood the test of time.

Once you’re in, you’re in and White will protect you to the hilt.

‘Ben wouldn’t show emotion to the outside world, but if you cross anyone he loves then he wouldn’t stand for it,’ said a source.

That unshakeable bond with loved ones, and an inherently insular personality, is often cited as a factor in his ongoing standoff with England.

The circumstances of his mysterious departure from the World Cup camp at Qatar 2022 have been thrust back into the spotlight following his choice to turn down a recall for last month’s matches against Brazil and Belgium. 

‘He is very quiet, not your typical footballer,’ explained an England insider, amid a feeling in the national camp that he suffers with homesickness.

‘He does like time to himself, while others may need the company. He is very close to his family.

'That is maybe why he doesn’t enjoy being away on camps for long periods.

‘He is a good guy, but not a conformist in terms of what a camp generally looks like.’

Prior to his selection for Qatar, Gareth Southgate, assistant Steve Holland and England technical director John McDermott discussed how White may adapt to being away from home for a long period and how he’d fit into the culture of the squad.

‘It was a concern, but it wasn’t enough of a concern to preclude his selection. But it was clear he wasn’t enjoying it,’ the insider added.

At the time, the FA explained the reasons for his departure as ‘personal’. But, in and around the England camp, there were several indications of a personality clash with Holland.

‘Steve gels well with some players, others he doesn’t,’ claimed a well-placed source.

'Steve doesn’t necessarily see his role to be friends with the players. In terms of relationship building, that is more Gareth’s responsibility.’

Southgate, in explaining White’s decision to reject a return to the fold last month, denied a fractious relationship with Holland was a factor in the defender’s continued exile.

Intriguingly, however, multiple sources have expressed contrasting reflections, amid claims the root of the issue is a verbal confrontation during a squad meeting at the team’s Al Wakrah base in Qatar during which White could not provide the answer to a question from Holland with regards to Arsenal’s season.

Verbals ensued, inflamed by the fact Kyle Walker was asked the same question with regards to Manchester City and answered immediately.

According to sources, the fact the incident transpired in front of the squad resulted in White feeling disrespected and on November 30 he flew home.

‘His relationship with Steve was a part of it, but there are other layers to it,’ added a source.

It remains to be seen whether White will consider a future return to England duty.

An international call-up is still widely viewed as the pinnacle of player’s career, an opportunity most would give their right arm for.

But, for now, there appears little hope of a reconciliation during the Southgate/Holland reign.

As things stand, White considers the chapter closed and would prefer people to respect his decision.

White’s emergence as the heir to Walker’s position as England’s first-choice right-back is extraordinary in itself given the setbacks he’s overcome.

In and out of hospital during early childhood owing to an immune disorder that left him with regular bouts of appendicitis, White eventually had his appendix removed at just seven years old.

But even as a frail and sickly child, White gravitated to football.

‘It was tough for him and his family but in many ways it made them closer,’ said a source.

It’s a theme that runs strongly through White’s meteoric rise - the unwavering love of father Barry, mother Carole, sister Ellie and wife Milly has helped him through the toughest of times.

To this day his nearest and dearest are generally within eyeshot. Both his parents attend every Arsenal home game, while mother Carole travels to away matches, too.

You can count on one hand how many matches Carole has missed since her son turned professional in 2016.

Indeed, the more you look into White’s background, the clearer it becomes just how the support of his family has helped him through the troughs.

Having joined Southampton’s academy as a promising centre-back he was released as a 16-year-old due to concerns over his lack of strength.

‘He was never the star pupil,’ explained an insider.

‘He was a centre-back shunted over to right-back at a time when full-backs didn’t have plenty of the ball.’

The disappointment hit hard but a frank mother and son conversation, during which White was asked whether he wanted to proceed with his dream ended in both deciding that the show would go on.

White was convinced he was good enough. Carole believed in her son.

Their faith was justified. Brighton’s then head of player recruitment Mark Anderson had designs on taking White across the south-coast having spotted him during a trial at the David Beckham SoccerDome in Greenwich.

There was competition - Aston Villa and Leicester were also circling - but Brighton offered White the opportunity to remain close to the family and he joined on youth terms in 2014 before turning professional two years later.

Finally, White was on the road to stardom. But doubts continued to linger.

As White took his fledgling steps in professional football, he found large obstacles. Three in particular: two at 6ft 4in, the other at 6ft 7in.

‘Part of his development and why I didn’t play him so much was simply because of the timing,’ explained Hughton.

'I had two centre halves in Shane Duffy and Lewis Dunk. I even had Dan Burn who was experienced, finding it difficult to get into the team.'

Yet for Hughton, the talent was never in question. The coach eulogises over White’s ability with the ball and his capacity to transmit those talents onto the training pitch.

Dunk, who has gone on to represent England, is said to have been particularly influential during the early days of White’s career, acting as mentor figure.

However, like at Southampton, there were initial concerns over whether White had the attributes to become a top-level central defender.

‘It was never a question mark about his ability but a question of what would be his best position,’ explained Hughton.

‘But we knew it would be three options - centre-back, right-back or defensive midfield. Because he was a ball player we knew he would be capable of playing in other positions.

‘At the time we didn’t feel he was a domineering centre-back. Duff and Dunk were big and imposing. But the game was changing.

‘With young players, you don’t know what level they will get to. Ben’s example is the best example of that.’

Concerns over his physicality, but also the benefits of his versatility, followed him into the international scene when, in 2021, Southgate pondered handing White his debut England call-up.

‘The early conversations about Ben were that he was a good defender but technically minded,’ said an England source.

‘Very comfortable to receive the ball and wanted to play out from the back.

‘He has taken a while to mature defensively, particularly around the box and tracking runners into the box.

‘It was noted the kind of goal opportunities against him were in situations where he wasn’t quite marking, using his body enough or being more aggressive - especially on crosses.

‘Was he too passive? Did he have that natural aggression? But that area has improved vastly over the last couple of years.’

As Hughton initially persisted with Dunk, Duffy and Burn it was decided White would benefit from a loan at the start of the 2017/18 campaign.

At the time there were two options, Newport County or Crawley. Crawley was close to home, the easy option for family-orientated White.

But White, 19 at the time, wanted to move out of his comfort zone, with a particular focus on trying to improve his aerial game. To Wales and League Two it was.

White, under Mike Flynn, excelled; so much so that Leeds started taking admiring glances.

He was halfway through his loan spell at Newport when the first opportunity to move to Yorkshire arose.

It was the first of a number of crucial decisions that White, together with his long-term agent Alex Levack, have nailed.

‘What Ben has always done is made good decisions,’ says Hughton.

'The first one with us was that he went on loan to Newport and done very well. He had the opportunity to go to Leeds but not as a regular starter. But it was a bigger club.

‘Ben made the decision to stay at Newport. He felt it was better for his development. That’s mature.’

Another loan switch, this time to Peterborough in January 2019 wasn’t by chance either.

Under Steve Evans and then Darren Ferguson, White was attracted to Posh because of their ball-playing ethos - a platform he felt would help hone his passing and technical skills.

But Elland Road and Bielsaball beckoned. So, too, did national recognition.

The date is August 22, 2017. White was starting just his fourth game for Newport in an EFL Cup tie against Leeds.

Newport suffered a 5-1 loss at Elland Road but an obsession was spawned.

Victor Orta, then Leeds sporting director, had taken a particular shine to White that evening, primarily his ability to bring the ball out from defence.

As previously outlined, Orta’s advances in January 2018 were rebuffed by White. At the time, Bielsa needed convincing, too.

But Orta was certain and finally, with Bielsa’s blessing, Leeds signed White on loan from Brighton in the summer of 2019.

His tenure in Yorkshire propelled him into the nation's attention as Leeds secured an emotional return to the Premier League in a campaign that White played every Championship game.

But even then, the doubts that followed his career were prevalent.

Bielsa initially decided to banish White to the Under-21s changing room upon his arrival.

White was taken aback but kept his counsel.

‘He didn’t complain once, he just got on with it,’ recalled a Leeds insider.

‘He had to work his b******s to prove himself to Bielsa.’

White was told to reduce his body fat percentage. He did.

Two, or often three, training sessions a day in pre-season. No problem.

Video analysis meetings of up to 90 minutes, clips sent directly to his WhatsApp, one-on-one meetings with Bielsa the day before matches - all completed without so much as a peep out of White.

It is joked today that one of the reasons White doesn’t watch football in his spare time is because he was exposed to a lifetime’s worth under Bielsa.

During the first Covid break, players were sent exercise equipment and Garmin watches with instructions to record their performance data via text to the coaching staff. White’s numbers were through the roof.

And eventually on the pitch, it didn’t take long for White to seal Bielsa’s ultimate approval.

'There was a sliding doors moment in the first game of the season at Bristol City', recalls an Elland Road source.

‘Ben takes a heavy touch and their centre-forward sprints at him. If he wins the ball, he is through on goal after two minutes.

‘But instead Ben cooly chips over the forward and finds a pass. It made everyone pay attention to how good he was.’

Those who worked with White during his exceptional spell in Yorkshire remembers him with great fondness.

Not just because of his brilliance on the pitch but his respectful manner off it.

His dedication to Leeds' community work at the time left an indelible mark. He still checks in with his former colleagues at Leeds to this day.

‘I understand it when people say he doesn’t like football. If he isn’t a massive fan of football, how professional does that make him to have been so successful?,’ added the Leeds source.

'He wasn’t a minute’s trouble - just a lovely, well spoken kid.’

The feeling is mutual. ‘Ben speaks very fondly of his time at Leeds, particularly Bielsa,’ added a source close to White.

‘You can see Bielsa’s influence on Ben to this very day. A lot of what he learnt under Bielsa is in Ben’s subconscious’.

Orta made it a priority to secure White on a permanent deal as Leeds prepared for their return to the big time in the summer of 2020.

Brighton owner Tony Bloom had other ideas. Graham Potter, who’d replaced Hughton at the Amex, had contacted White informing him that he was central to plans of implementing a possession-based philosophy.

Leeds made three offers for White, the highest of £25million, but Bloom was unflinching.

The Brighton chairman’s decision, as so often has been the case, proved a profitable one.

Twelve months later, White was in England’s delayed Euro 2020 squad and attracting interest from English football’s elite.

His valuation had doubled as Chelsea, Tottenham and Liverpool enquired about his availability, although unwilling to match Bloom’s £50million price tag.

There was a club, though, who believed White’s cost represented value for money.

Mikel Arteta was transforming Arsenal. He saw in White someone who would grow into his blueprint.

He admired those unmistakable Bielsa traits, the versatility, composure and ability to break lines with his passing.

Arteta felt White suited the relentless approach he was nurturing at Arsenal. The rest is history.

White is grateful Arteta paid the huge sum for someone who during that period was untested at the very top level.

In the fullness of time, that £50million has proved money well spent. Clearly Arteta knew then, what we all know now.

All of a sudden, that shy boy from Poole is emerging as a leader of an Arsenal team fast becoming one of the most exciting projects in European football.

Timid no longer, White is coming out of his shell. He has become noticeably more vocal on the pitch in recent months.

In the team huddle ahead of Tuesday’s win over Luton, it was White who led the pre-match messaging alongside captain Martin Odegaard.

He has started mentoring Arsenal’s younger players, in a similar fashion as to how Dunk took him under his wing at Brighton all those years ago.

Those early concerns over his strength and aggression are dissipating rapidly.

‘There’s a menacing streak to his game now that wasn’t necessarily apparent before. If anyone nails him in a game, he will consciously try to get them back,’ revealed an Arsenal source.

White is putting his body on the line, playing with a knee problem that will require closer examination in the summer.

His threshold for pain has stunned those at the club’s London Colney HQ.

But he does so without a hint of complaint. Not because he wants to conform to a macho stereotype but because it’s his responsibility and White takes his responsibilities seriously.

A standard bearer for Arteta’s spellbinding Emirates revolution; his drive and desire may be lost on those on the outskirts of professional football - but those who have witnessed White’s growth first hand know the real story.

‘He loves training, he loves playing football. People look at him and assume he is certain type of person,’ added a source.

'But they have got him wrong.’