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 told BBC Sport that 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.