John Stones admits he considered retirement after recurring injuries

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·7 Oktober 2025

John Stones admits he considered retirement after recurring injuries

Manchester City defender Manchester City, John Stones, confirms that he considered retiring last season after facing serious recurring physical problems.

The defender spent most of last year off the pitch due to foot and thigh injuries. At 31 years old, he played only 24 matches for City and England before ending the season prematurely in February.

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Now fully recovered, Stones could make his first appearance under Thomas Tuchel, the England national team coach, in the friendly against Wales this Thursday or in the World Cup Qualifier in Latvia next week.

"Last season was tough for me, to the point where I thought about quitting," Stones told BBC Radio 5 Live. "I didn't want to do it. I was already tired of being so professional, trying to do everything right and still getting injured without any answers. It was a very complicated moment."

John Stones: Physical and Mental Struggles

The defender explained that the strain was not just physical, but also mental, due to constant injuries even while maintaining total discipline.

"There comes a point when you don't understand why it happens. It's even harder when you try so hard, being extremely professional, and still something goes wrong. It's mentally challenging. I hope I never go back to that state."

Since joining City in 2016 from Everton, Stones has not managed to play more than 27 matches in a single Premier League season. Even so, he has won six English titles, two FA Cups, two League Cups, and the Champions League with the Citizens.

Winning Mentality

Despite his doubts, Stones realized he couldn't walk away from football.

"My emotions were running high. I wasn't thinking straight. Deep down, I don't think I ever would have done it," he said. "I said years ago, when City wanted me to look for a new challenge: 'I'll fight.' That's what I've always done since I was a kid—why stop now? I have this winning mentality inside me that won't let me give up."

Support from Thomas Tuchel

Coach Thomas Tuchel kept Stones in the national team group as an observer, even while injured, for the matches against Andorra and Senegal at the end of last season—a gesture the player deeply appreciated.

"I love playing for England. Some of the best moments of my career have been with the national team at tournaments. When Tuchel invited me to be with the group and keep training, I accepted without thinking twice. It was a special moment," he said.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.