John Stones withdraws from England squad hours before Andorra qualifier

England defender John Stones has withdrawn from the national team squad just hours before their FIFA World Cup qualifier against Andorra at Villa Park.

The Manchester City centre-back, who has earned 83 caps for his country, reported to camp earlier in the week carrying minor muscle issues. According to manager Thomas Tuchel, the 31-year-old failed to make the expected progress during training and was sent back to his club on Friday to avoid aggravating the problem.  

This was Stones’ first call-up under Tuchel, having not featured for England since October of last year. His absence comes as a setback for the Three Lions, who face Andorra on Saturday before travelling to Belgrade to meet Serbia on Tuesday. Tuchel confirmed that captain Harry Kane will lead the line against Andorra, emphasising the importance of fielding the strongest possible side at the start of a condensed international window.  

The England manager explained that the team will not experiment in the opening fixture, instead focusing on securing maximum points before reassessing player availability for the second match. He acknowledged that both upcoming opponents are likely to adopt deep defensive setups, challenging England to break them down with pace, rhythm, and aggression.  

Latvia and Albania complete Group K in the European qualifying campaign, with only the group winners guaranteed a place at next year’s World Cup in the United States, Mexico, and Canada. Stones’ injury means Tuchel will have to explore alternative defensive options as England continue their preparations for the tournament.