John Stones

★ Veteran KingDefender · Manchester City

Caps

Int'l goals

Years

NATION · ENG England →

Age

Position

Caps

Int'l goals

Manchester City

Club

UEFA Champions League

League

ENG

National team

// the read

The shape of him

Defending at a World Cup is a tightrope — one mistake ends a campaign. The profile below is the positional read; the moments that define it come in the knockouts.

// the equation

reading × timing × the last-ditch nerve

the back linethe cover positionthe duel

// the x-factor

The job

The last line of trust.

Read the danger early, time the tackle, marshal the line. At this level the margin between a clean sheet and an early flight is a single lapse.

32Years old

DefenderRole

// the cabinet

Honours

club

Club

Premier League

×7

League Cup

×5

Community Shield

×4

FA Cup

×3

UEFA Super Cup

×2

UEFA Champions League

×2

J.League World Challenge

×2

FIFA Intercontinental Cup

×2

// the closing word

John Stones.England · Defender.The full dossier — season numbers, takes and tape — lands closer to kickoff.

ENGDefenderManchester City