- John Stones is going to the World Cup this summer
- Decision heavily criticised by Stelling and Agbonlahor
- Defender’s error on Sunday cast into the spotlight
John Stones has received a lot of praise following his final Manchester City appearance, but now he is facing the full wrath of his critics.
Sunday’s results was not the way Man City intended to end their season, but the most important thing was to give those departing the send-off they deserved.
This could not have been done better, with both John Stones and Bernardo Silva receiving their own guards of honour when they left the pitch.
And after the game, the pair were able to address the City fans one last time, with many of those in the stands reduced to tears.
John Stones receives criticism for England call-up
After a pleasant afternoon, Stones is once again having to face the brutal realities that come with being a professional footballer.
Indeed, the decision to include him in the England squad this summer has been blasted by Jeff Stelling and Gabriel Agbonlahor alike.
“From an England perspective, looking at that game, brilliant for Villa. Ollie Watkins, absolutely brilliant form at the moment,” Stelling told talkSPORT.
“But I looked at that second goal and how he did John Stones, and it made me very concerned that John Stones is in the England World Cup squad.
“If that’s the sort of shape [he’s in].”
😬 "I'm very concerned."
— talkSPORT (@talkSPORT) May 25, 2026
❌ "He's had virtually no football."
Jeff Stelling delivers brutal verdict on John Stones for England 😳#FifaWorldCup #JohnStones #Eng #talkSPORT pic.twitter.com/Wt94gURCSU
Agbonlahor added: “It’s his ninth appearance in the Premier League this season.
“Even when he’s been in the team this season, whenever he’s played, I’ve looked at him, lost a yard of pace, he was never quick.
“John Stones is very good on the ball, yes, he can play defensive midfield if needed. But I’m worried, I really am.
“I look at Stones and I say, if Guehi and Konsa get injured and Stones starts, and you’re playing against Brazil, Spain, France, Argentina – they’ll be licking their lips because he’s injury-prone, he could get injured, touch wood he doesn’t.”
Stones will be a strong voice in the dressing room
Harry Maguire’s exclusion from the squad has caused a stir, but he looked absolutely rattled in his most recent final – a 1-0 loss to Tottenham Hotspur in the Europa League.
Whereas Stones has delivered at the very highest level. He is a Champions League winner, and has six Premier League titles to his name.
This is the type of player you want in the dressing room, even if you know he is not going to play the biggest games.
Because being completely honest, Stones should not really be starting against the toughest teams when he has barely played all season. And he is unlikely to do so anyway. Saying Geuhi and Konsa could get injured is just speculation.
The 31-year-old is England’s most decorated player, and if there is one type of player the Three Lions desperately need, it is one who knows how to win trophies.
When does England’s World Cup campaign get underway?
England will play friendlies on June 6 and June 10, before beginning their World Cup campaign against Croatia on the 17th, at 9pm BST.
As mentioned, Stones is in the squad, and Man City have three other representatives heading to North America.
James Trafford, Nico O’Reilly and Marc Guehi will all be looking to play their part as Tuchel prepares for his first major tournament as the England boss.
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