Euro 2020 England vs Croatia: Brighton fans react as Ben White on the bench - Tyrone Mings, Kieran Trippier start

White was in contention for a starting role as Gareth Southgate named four at the back but Aston Villa's Tyrone Mings was given the nod to partner John Stones at the heart of the defence.

White, 23, however could still have a role to play in this Group D match from the bench as Southgate can use five substitutes.

Euro 2020 is the first major tournament in which five substitutes can be used by each team. The measures were announced by Uefa in order to help ease player workload at the end of an intense season compressed by the coronavirus pandemic.

Kieran Trippier surprisingly started at left-back as England kicked off their Euro 2020 campaign against Croatia at Wembley.

Gareth Southgate turned to Atletico Madrid’s title-winning right-back to play on the left of the back four, with Luke Shaw on the bench and Ben Chilwell conspicuously absent from the matchday squad.

Jadon Sancho and Harry Maguire also were not in the 23, with Stones and Mings at the heart of defence with Kyle Walker on the right.

Kalvin Phillips and Declan Rice started at the base of a midfield that saw Mason Mount play in a more advanced role, with Raheem Sterling and Phil Foden playing either side of captain Harry Kane.

Jack Grealish was named on the bench.

Jordan Pickford started between the posts against a Croatia side captained by Luka Modric.

England XI: Pickford, Walker, Stones, Mings, Trippier, Rice, Phillips, Mount, Foden, Sterling, Kane. Subs: Henderson, Johnstone, Shaw, Grealish, Henderson, Rashford, Coady, Calvert-Lewin, White, James, Saka, Bellingham

Croatia XI: Livakovic; Vrsaljko, Caleta-Car, Vida, Gvardiol, Modric, Brozovic, Kovacic; Kramaric, Rebic, Perisic. Substitutes: Kalinic, Sluga, Brekalo, Vlasic, Budimir, Pasalic, Skoric, Badelj, Petkovic, Juranovic, Bradaric, Ivanusec

Here's how Brighton fans reacted on social media:

@NorthStandChat: Judging through blue and white striped glasses, obviously, but don’t #BHAFC have three better English centre-backs than Tyrone Mings?

@timhumphrey444: Ben White on the bench for #ENGCRO Lets hope he gets on!

@GeddesChris: What does Southgate see in Tyrone Mings that virtually every football fan (Villa aside) doesn’t?! #BHAFC

@AdamdeSilver: Let’s all just hope Mings has the match of his career (sorry to pick him out as a liability). #bhafc