The England international is overcoming the injury problems that ruined the 2024-25 season and is aiming for his first cap under manager Thomas Tuchel in the match against Wales and Latvia.
Manchester City England defender John Stones revealed he had considered retiring during the nightmare of injury last season.
The 31-year-old wore the 2024-25 season to a stick due to leg and hamstring issues. He has played in just 24 games for the club and national team, but hasn’t played in either of them since February. However, he has regained his form again this season, and it appears he will make his first appearance in the upcoming match against Wales and Latvia under England coach Thomas Tuchel.
“Last season was a tough season for me, and I was so worried about quitting,” the Stones told BBC Radio 5 Live. “I didn’t want to do that. I was tired of being a professional, trying to do everything right on my own, and then I ended up breaking down without finding the answer. It was a very difficult place to be there.
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“There will be a time when you don’t know why that will happen, and if you’re putting so much effort into playing and being able to compete, it’s even more difficult.
“It might be easy to say, ‘I didn’t do X, Y, Z, so’ when that happens, but doing that can be mentally difficult. Hopefully, I won’t get back to that place.”
“I was feeling high. I wasn’t thinking about it properly. I don’t think I could have done that deep down. Years ago, when City called for me a new challenge, I said, ‘I’m going to fight.’ That’s all I knew since I was a kid. Why should I stop doing it now?”
“Yeah, there’s a fight inside me and a victory mentality that I don’t want to stop.”
Despite suffering from injuries last season, the Stones were invited to Tuchel’s summer camp for the match against Andorra and Senegal, with the German manager expressing his intention to add the defender to a part of his plan.
“I love England so much and I love playing for England,” the Stones said. “Some of the best moments of my career were when I played for England in tournaments, and when he asked me if I could go out and continue training with the players, it wasn’t a surprise.”
“For me, it was a special moment to be able to show my players, give advice and become a good teammate.
“I haven’t thought of anything since then because everything is going so fast. But that’s a huge sign and I was really happy.”
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