Declan Rice has defended England team-mate Ben White after the Arsenal defender was booed by fans at Wembley, insisting supporters would stop if they knew him better.
White was jeered by the crowd when he came on as a substitute against Croatia, with some England supporters still unhappy over his departure from the 2022 World Cup squad. Last week, White spoke openly about his desire to represent England but did not explain the reasons behind his exit from Qatar.
Rice: White is focused on England
Rice said: "Ben has moved on from what's happened in the past, he's totally focused on playing for England. When he's been fit and available he's constantly put himself forward to play for England."
"He loves being here, it's not like he doesn't like being here, he loves playing for England, loves being around the lads."
"If people knew and understood Ben White as a character he's not fazed by anything, he goes with the flow and he just wants to play football and for England."
Fans entitled to opinion
Rice acknowledged that supporters have the right to voice their feelings, but stressed that White remains committed to the national team. "Fans are entitled to their opinion, it is what it is but he doesn't feel that way with England. He wants to come out and play his best football and enjoy himself," he said.
"I think that's credit to him, coming on and playing for England and being booed is not easy but the way his character is it really helps him."
The midfielder also played down the ongoing scrutiny of White's situation, noting that it is not a topic of discussion within the squad. "It's not been a conversation for the team. It's so long ago now, it's nearly five years and it doesn't need to keep getting brought up," Rice said.
Competition for places
Rice also welcomed the challenge from Bournemouth's Alex Scott, who displaced him in the England side last month. "To be honest, Alex Scott playing was incredible. The way he's been playing for Bournemouth the last two or three seasons has been remarkable," he said.
He acknowledged fierce competition for a starting spot at Arsenal, with Bruno Guimaraes, Martin Zubimendi, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Mikel Merino and Martin Odegaard all vying for places. "You're competing with six midfielders at your club every day so for me there's nothing different throughout my whole career there's been competition. It's normal," Rice added.
The 27-year-old also revealed he hopes to keep playing into his 30s, citing Harry Kane as an example of longevity. "If you look at Harry ... it's not a coincidence the season he's had, Ballon d'Or winner, not just because of his footballing ability, just everything he does off the pitch to look after himself," he said.
"I want to maximise my career, I want to play for as long as possible. I want to play at the highest level for as long as possible," Rice said. "Me at 33, I don't know where I'm going to be and what I'm going to be doing but for sure I hope I'm still at the top level, competing and playing really well."
