Arsenal star Benjamin White has enjoyed a steep rise to the top of English football in recent seasons.
Having shone for Brighton in his debut Premier League campaign in 2020/21, White soon earned himself an England call-up and a place in Gareth Southgate's squad for Euro 2020. Whilst on international duty, news quickly broke of Arsenal's interest before he eventually completed a switch to North London in a £50million deal.
Now a mainstay in the Gunners' side, White continues to go from strength to strength, and still only 24, the defender has a bright future ahead of him. However, White also admits, all of it probably wouldn't have happened were it not for his mum being handy with a pair of scissors.
"It's weird because my family don't like football," White said when asked about his route to becoming professional in Amazon Prime's All or Nothing: Arsenal documentary. "They've never played it. Dad hates it. He would never, ever watch a game.
"It was actually someone who my mum used to cut hair for [who got me playing]. She would come out in the garden with me and she would get in goal and I would boot the ball at her. That's where it all started, really."
White, who was born in Poole, was soon picked up by Southampton's academy before being released aged 16. He then signed for Brighton where his journey to the Premier League began to take off. Loan spells at Newport County, Peterborough United and Leeds United followed before his eventual big-money move to Arsenal.
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It was certainly a baptism of fire for White after signing for the Gunners, after he faced immediate criticism following their opening defeat against Brentford on the first day of the 2021/22 season.
"I've got some little kids absolutely giving me stacks, they were mugging me right off," White recalled as he opened up on his early days at the club. "They were like ''£50 million? You're s***."
White become a key figure at the heart of Arsenal's defence last season as he formed a solid partnership with teammate Gabriel Magalhaes. But he was pushed out to right-back for the win over Crystal Palace last Friday as William Saliba put in a man of the match display at centre-half, adding to the competition for White's place.
"Being at a big club like this, you can't slip, you can't have bad days," White said. "It is tough mentally. I have high standards. I don't need anyone to tell me when I have not done so well, I know.
"I used to be very up and down emotionally, but as I have grown up, I think I am at a level where I can be okay with whatever happens."
White has previously confessed to rarely watching football as a child or even now he is a professional. Perhaps that's why he was left so stunned after Arsenal were beaten 2-0 by Liverpool back in March in a performance which had White in disbelief.
"Any slight opportunity they get... f*** me. They're so clinical," White said to teammates. "The second one, he's [Roberto Firmino] literally just got his toe in front of me."
