Ben White is England’s reluctant World Cup hero-in-waiting.
While some members of Gareth Southgate’s squad have spent their waking hours nervously awaiting the call-up, Arsenal ’s centre-half wasn’t one of them. He doesn’t have any particular memories of past tournaments and didn’t allow himself to even think about the plane for Qatar until the competition was almost upon him.
So, while the likes of Leicester City’s James Maddison had to compose themselves by leaning against a wall upon learning the news from Three Lions’ chief Southgate, you get the impression the 25-year-old would have taken the same very much in his stride. The defender is much more at home on a body board near a waterfront during his down-time than he is gorging himself on more football.
