Jordan Henderson has promised to stand by Ben White after the Arsenal defender faced jeers from supporters at Wembley during England's draw against Uruguay.
The midfielder, who himself experienced hostile treatment from the home crowd following his controversial transfer to Saudi Arabia, expressed solidarity with his teammate.
"As team-mates we are always there to support. A lot of the fans will be in support of all of the players," Henderson said.
He acknowledged the difficulty of the situation, adding: "I have been through it myself, but that is part and parcel of being an England player."
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Henderson's backing comes after White endured a turbulent 25-minute cameo in the friendly fixture.
The 28-year-old was returning to international duty for the first time since departing the 2022 World Cup squad in Qatar, citing personal reasons for his exit.
White subsequently withdrew from England consideration throughout the remainder of Gareth Southgate's tenure as manager.
Ben White was met with loud boos and jeers when he was brought off the bench | GETTYNew head coach Thomas Tuchel opted to offer the defender another opportunity with the national team.
His brief appearance proved eventful from the moment he entered the pitch as a substitute for Fikayo Tomori, with sections of the crowd voicing their disapproval.
Despite the hostile reception, White found the net to give England a 1-0 advantage, though jeers continued even after his goal.
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England's record in their last five major tournaments | GB NEWSThe defender's evening ended on a sour note when he conceded a penalty, which Federico Valverde converted to secure Uruguay's equaliser.
Henderson was critical of the role media coverage plays in shaping supporter attitudes towards players.
"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," he stated.
The midfielder suggested that the full circumstances surrounding White's departure from Qatar remain private.
"Not many people know the ins and outs of what happened in Qatar and it is for us to deal with internally," Henderson explained.
He elaborated on how press narratives can distort public perception: "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."
Ben White made his first England appearance in four years on Friday evening | GETTYHenderson stressed the importance of squad cohesion during challenging moments for individual players.
"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," the midfielder said.
He praised White's attitude since rejoining the England setup, noting: "Ben has been good since he came back in and we will support him as team-mates."
Despite the turbulent circumstances surrounding White's return, Henderson chose to focus on the positive aspects of his teammate's performance.
"I was delighted he got on and got a goal, which is the most important thing," Henderson concluded, emphasising that White's contribution on the pitch mattered most.