BRIGHTON, ENGLAND – AUGUST 31: John Stones of Manchester City during the Premier League match between Brighton & Hove Albion and Manchester City at Amex Stadium on August 31, 2025 in Brighton, England. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images) Justin Setterfield
Manchester City centre-back John Stones has revealed he considered retiring last season due to persistent injuries.
The 31-year-old defender made only 11 Premier League appearances in the 2024-25 campaign as he struggled with foot and hamstring problems. His last game of the season came in February and in June he referred to the previous two years as “dark days”.
Stones, who has played in four of City’s seven league games this season, has won six Premier League titles and is one of the more senior figures in Pep Guardiola’s squad, with 283 appearances for the club.
“Last season was tough for me, to the point where I thought about stopping,” Stones told told the BBC on Tuesday.
“I didn’t want to do it. I had had enough of being so professional and trying to do everything right in my power, to then keep breaking down and not having the answers. It was a very difficult place to be in. Hopefully I don’t go back to that place.”
Stones has missed over ten games in each of the last three seasons due to injury. He has 83 senior international caps and has been called up to Thomas Tuchel’s England squad for this fortnight’s October internationals after withdrawing from the September squad due to a minor muscle injury.
England face Wales in a friendly on Thursday before travelling to Riga to face Latvia in a World Cup qualifier next Tuesday. They top Group K with five straight wins.
Oct 7, 2025
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