Posted by AI on 2025-09-05 13:31:26 | Last Updated by AI on 2026-02-18 09:19:15
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Despite a promising start to his international career, John Stones' recent club form has been hampered by injuries, forcing him to pull out of the England squad for the upcoming FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
It's a disappointing turn of events for the 28-year-old, who had been looking forward to reuniting with the England national team after a lengthy absence. Stones, who has 83 caps for the Three Lions, hasn't featured for England since last October and his first camp under new boss Thomas Tuchel has been cut short due to injury.
Stones' club form has suffered as well, with the centre-back plagued by injuries and inconsistent play since the start of the 2021-22 campaign. He has struggled to nail down a starting spot in the Chelsea lineup, which could jeopardize his spot on the plane to Qatar for the World Cup this fall.
This opens the door for other players to step up and claim a spot in the squad. With Stones out, England manager Gareth Southgate will have to consider other options to fill the void in central defense.
It's a tough break for Stones, who was so influential for England during the 2018 World Cup and Euro 2020, but club form and injuries have hampered his national team prospects. Now, the focus shifts to the upcoming FIFA WC Qualifiers against Andorra and Serbia, where the English will look to continue their perfect start to the campaign.