John Stones injury: Man City defender “made of glass” given World Cup warning after latest England setback

Manchester City defender John Stones will not be picked by England boss Thomas Tuchel for the 2026 World Cup if he cannot play regularly for club and country leading up to next summer’s tournament, Citizens expert Steven McInerney from Esteemed Kompany has told Sports Mole.

After starting each of Man City’s opening three Premier League games of the new season, Stones was called up to the England squad ahead of World Cup qualifiers against Andorra and Serbia during this month’s international break.

However, the 31-year-old was forced to withdraw as a precautionary measure last week, with Tuchel revealing that the defender arrived at the England training camp with a minor muscle injury and he did not want to take any risks with the 83-cap international.

Stones has had his fair share of injury and fitness issues for some time and has failed to start more than 23 Premier League games for Man City in a single season since his debut campaign in 2016-17.

He has suffered a succession of foot, hamstring and thigh problems over the last couple of seasons and was sidelined for more than 30 matches in the 2024-25 campaign, starting just six top-flight fixtures for Pep Guardiola’s side.

Stones has previously opened up about overcoming the “dark days” that he has experienced on the sidelines and many Man City fans will be concerned by his latest setback which has made him a doubt for Sunday’s Manchester derby.

“Phenomenal” Stones “one of the all-time great PL centre-backs” without injury issues

“John Stones has been made of glass since he joined Man City and obviously the older he gets the more likely he is to be injured,” McInerney told Sports Mole.

“If you'd asked most City fans what the result of him being called up for England would have been, so many would have guessed some form of injury, either during a game or during training or something like that.

“John Stones is a phenomenal footballer, he truly is. When you do see him play, you're reminded just how good he is and what we've been robbed, because I honestly think if John Stones had the fortune to be fit all the time, we're talking about one of the all-time great Premier League centre-backs.

“I don't think I'm exaggerating there given his performances, especially in the treble-winning season when you saw the level he reached. That year he was absurd, and I can't even begin to imagine how good he'd be if he carried on building from that Champions League final performance, which was an insane accomplishment individually.

“You just can't lean on him now, because his body isn't capable of playing regular football. I sound quite definitive for that conclusion, but it's based on all of his history and I feel reasonably confident in saying I don't think anything's going to change sadly.

“I'm hoping with [his latest injury] it's just him getting the memo which would be if you feel anything you come home, you do not play, whereas maybe previously he's been a little bit more positive potentially - I'm just guessing here - but maybe he thought he’ll be alright, he'll crack on and keep playing and maybe [that’s how some of] the injuries are picked up.

“Maybe the pennies dropped. Maybe there's a case of the slightest twinge you stop, because maybe that's the only way to manage John Stones. I don't know why they wouldn't be doing that beforehand. They might have been and it could be that this is a genuine pull or a setback.”

Stones will be keen to avoid “painful” World Cup absence amid fitness concerns

McInerney added: “It's frustrating from a City fans perspective, but the older I've got, I've been become more relaxed about the idea of international duty. I used to be very much stuck in the weeds of tribalism... I've realised these are footballers who’ve got one career and they're sort of living their dream - we have to respect that.

“John Stones clearly wants to go to the World Cup and I have to respect that because England are a good footballing nation. They're no-one's favourites to win the World Cup, but they've got a chance to go far.

“I can't even imagine how painful it'd be for John Stones if he retired from international football, to keep himself fit for City, and then England went on to win the World Cup the year after and he wasn't involved in it.

“It would be a life-changing experience, so as much as it's frustrating seeing these injuries on international duty, I think it's just it comes with the territory. If you have great footballers that play for their country and want to, that's something I think has to be respected.

“I do hope this is just a mild injury and nothing serious, one where he's learned his body and he knows when to stop, and fingers crossed he won't have to miss any games for City.”

With around nine months to go before the newly-expanded 48-team World Cup begins in Canada, Mexico and the United States, Tuchel has admitted that Stones will only remain an important part of his England plans if he stays fit.

McInerney has suggested that Stones is one of the first names on Guardiola’s teamsheet for Man City when available for selection, but his England future is in doubt unless he can prove his fitness.

Tuchel will be “tempted” to select Stones if he can play “around 30 games” for City  

“Pep loves him. I think it's very obvious,” said McInerney. “You've only got to look at the start of the season with Guardiola playing him - I know there are injuries to [Josko] Gvardiol and [Ruben] Dias has been recovering, [Abdukodir] Khusanov is still very young, [Nathan] Ake has had injuries too - but I think it's very obvious that if John Stones could stay fit, he'd be playing every single week.

“I think he's that level of quality, there's nothing he can't do. The team usually looks more composed with him in the defence, he understands entirely the job of what you’ve got to do as a centre-back in a possession-based team under Guardiola. With his experience and quality, he plays every single week if he's fit.

“That's the thing about Stones - he never really gets a run of form, a run of games, but even then he still looks really good when he plays. You can only presume that with repetition, he'd be even better.

“I think he needs more football than last season. He missed too many games, he's had large spells of time out. I think Tuchel would be tempted to take him (to the World Cup) if he can get around 30 games this season for Man City.

“That doesn't mean all starts, but if he can start half the games and play in 10 to 15 more, I think you'll be tempted by the experience of Stones, especially if it coincides with a spell of fitness towards the end of the season.

Injuries have “robbed” Stones of a career similar to Thiago Silva

“I think if Stones is playing 10 out of the last 15 games and he makes himself available - presuming that City are involved in some decent games, some big games - I don't see why he wouldn't take him and I think it'd be the right call.

“Stones is a phenomenal defender who suits tournament football as well, I would argue, where you need that composure and that know-how. I think he's going to need to play way more than last season. Do I think it's possible? I don't know.

“He's 31 years old now and in the modern era, that's the peak age for a lot of centre-backs. Unless you're intensely physical-based, which he isn't, a lot of these players around 30, 31 are at their peak and they've matured as a person, professionally and physically.

“Look at Thiago Silva - he's a great comparison of what maybe injuries have robbed John Stones of. He is equally as talented, in my opinion, as Thiago Silva, but Thiago Silva just does not have that same body made of glass. Stones is 31, but it feels like he's going on 35 because of his injuries.

“I think it's very possible that he could be involved (at the World Cup). I think the plan is for him to be involved, but he's going to have to play some England games as well. If he doesn't play any from now until the World Cup, even if he's fit for City, if he keeps missing these games [Tuchel] won't pick him and that's only fair.”

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