- The FIFA World Cup begins on June 11
- England start their campaign on the 17th
- John Stones is set for an important role
England will kick off their World Cup journey later this month, and John Stones could be in action from the very start.
There is not long to go now until the biggest international tournament in the world gets underway in North America.
Man City will have more representatives than any other club, and four of them will be playing for the England national team.
John Stones is among these players, despite the fact he was only selected to start five Premier League matches over the past season.
Nevertheless, the centre-back could actually play a crucial role for the Three Lions, as Thomas Tuchel eyes success in his first major competition as manager.
John Stones expected to start against Croatia
According to Henry Winter, Stones is likely to be in the starting lineup when England take on Croatia in Dallas.
However, the journalist did confirm that he does not know for sure whether the 32-year-old will be involved.
John Stones training at West Palm Beach today. Expected to start v Croatia in Dallas. Poignant moment. Stones trained in Miami before 2014 World Cup, standby player, one cap v Ecuador, his second, and then flew home. 85 appearances later … big player for #ENG pic.twitter.com/nkGkOMKF58
— Henry Winter (@henrywinter) June 2, 2026
He has suggested it will be the case because Stones is an ‘exceptional’ centre-back, who has an admirer in Tuchel.
Additionally, Stones has been given the number five jersey, which would usually hint at him being among the first-choice defenders.
The inclusion of Stones is seen as controversial
With Stones playing so few matches this season, Tuchel has faced scrutiny for deciding to call him up for the World Cup.
Especially since Harry Magure was left out of the squad, even though he helped Manchester United secure Champions League football.
Despite this, it is clear to see why Stones has made the cut. To put it simply, he is a proven winner with Man City.
In fact, there is no other player on that plane who has experienced the same level of success as City’s departing defender.
Wrapping up 20 trophies in 10 seasons at the Etihad Stadium, Stones is the type of player England need to end their 60-year wait for silverware.
How to watch England vs Croatia
The Three Lions’ match on Wednesday, June 17 will kick off at 21:00 BST, and can be watched on ITV 1 and STV Scotland.
Viewers outside the UK can find out how to tune in by visiting the Live Soccer TV website.
In the meantime, England will face New Zealand on Saturday, before taking on Costa Rica next Wednesday in their final World Cup warm-up game.
