SPORTS
White Gets First England Call-up Since 2022
Arsenal defender Ben White has been called up to the England squad for the first time in more than three years.
The 27-year-old has not been involved since leaving the camp during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar for personal reasons.
White then made himself unavailable for selection for the rest of Gareth Southgate’s reign.
England play friendlies against Uruguay on 27 March and Japan on 31 March at Wembley.
White has not played for England since a 3-0 friendly win against Ivory Coast in March 2022.
He replaces Jarell Quansah in Thomas Tuchel’s expanded 35-man squad after the Bayer Leverkusen defender was ruled out with a thigh injury.
White has made only seven Premier League appearances for leaders Arsenal this season.
However, he has played in eight of their 10 Champions League games in their run to the quarter-finals and started Sunday’s 2-0 Carabao Cup final defeat by Manchester City.
Real Madrid defender Trent Alexander-Arnold was overlooked for the fourth successive England squad.
After Real’s derby victory over Atletico Madrid on Sunday, he wrote on Instagram: “Madrid. And nothing else.”
White’s return to international football has been over a year in the making.
One of Tuchel’s first jobs upon his appointment as England head coach was to gauge how open White was to playing for his country again.
White exiled himself from selection after a falling-out with assistant coach Steve Holland at the World Cup, which led to the right-back returning home.
Southgate tried to provide an olive branch and approached then Arsenal sporting director Edu to find out if White would return to the England fold.
We know White’s response.
But Southgate and Holland’s departure after Euro 2024 changed the dynamic.
In March 2025 – before Tuchel’s first game in charge – he said White had communicated that he was available for selection.
Sources have said Tuchel intended to select White for the games against Andorra and Senegal in May, but his selection did not materialise because of family reasons.
In September a knee injury prevented White from being called up against Serbia and Andorra.
White has played a peripheral role at Arsenal this season – Jurrien Timber is first-choice right-back – and injury has disrupted his campaign.
But Tuchel has finally executed his plan. Time will tell if White was worth waiting for.
Nigeria’s Super Falcons will find out their opponents for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games women’s football qualifiers this week.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) announced on Tuesday that the draw for the African qualifying series will take place on Wednesday at its headquarters in Cairo, Egypt.
The ceremony is scheduled to begin at 12 noon and will be streamed live on CAF TV.
A total of 35 national teams, including Super Falcons will participate in the qualifiers, which will be played over five rounds.
The other countries are; Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Comoros, Congo, Cote d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea.
Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritius, Morocco, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Seychelles, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe are the other countries that will take part in the qualifiers.
Two teams will earn Africa’s slots at the women’s football tournament of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
The Super Falcons and Copper Queens of Zambia represented the continent at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France.
The Lagos Boxing Hall of Fame (LBHF) monthly tournament returns on Saturday, celebrating founder Wale Edun’s 70th birthday marked on Monday, April 20.
“This special edition honours our founder’s enduring legacy,” said Mr David Mohamed, LBHF Director, in a statement issued on Thursday.
The tournament will be held at Agege Stadium in Lagos State.
Founded in 2010 by Edun, LBHF is widely regarded as Nigeria’s and Africa’s longest-running amateur boxing tournament.
Until Tuesday, Edun was the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, before resigning his post on health grounds.
“The initiative provides a platform for young boxers to train and gain exposure,” Mohamed said, noting its role in grassroots boxing development.
As a non-profit organisation, LBHF has nurtured talents who have achieved national and international success.
“This edition doubles as a tribute to Edun, whose vision has shaped many boxing careers,” Mohamed added.
Action begins with Fatade Juwon facing Abiodun Yusuf in the men’s 50kg category.
Tajudeen Yekini will then confront Adele Faruq in the 55kg division.
In the men’s 60kg category, Tajudeen Rasheed meets Ogunleye Aliazeem, while Mosuru Adedeji battles Innocent Prosper.
Exhibition bouts will feature Princess Adeola against Zainab Ibrahim in the women’s 28kg category, and Adeseye Kalid versus Saliu Razak in the men’s 34kg division.
The sole women’s main-card clash will see Oluwatoyin Amirat face Aminashaun Raheemo in the 48kg division.
Wahab Ramadan will meet Lawal Opeyemi in the men’s 70kg bout, before Makinde Mohamed faces Ibadiaro Idris in the 75kg category.
The event concludes with Lawal Mohammed against Oluwapo Oluwaseun in the men’s 80kg title bout.
Over the years, LBHF has developed talents like Taiwo “Esepo” Agbaje, producing fighters who have represented Nigeria with distinction.
“This celebration reinforces our mission to sustain boxing as a pathway for young Nigerians,” Mohamed said.
English and Italian football giants Manchester City, Chelsea, Inter Milan and Juventus will square up for pre-season friendlies in Hong Kong in August, the clubs announced yesterday.
Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City, currently arm-wrestling Arsenal for the Premier League title, will take on Inter Milan on Saturday, August 1, spearheaded by their Norwegian goal machine Erling Haaland.
The match will kick off the “Hong Kong Football Festival” at the city’s futuristic 50,000-seat Kai Tak stadium.
The gleaming arena opened a year ago, featuring a roof that can be closed and air-conditioning to combat the fierce summer heat and humidity in Hong Kong.
Chelsea will play Juventus on Wednesday August 5 to round off the mini-tournament.
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