John Stones had to know the question was coming. With Mexico vanquished after one of the great England nights, the focus had turned in part to the quarter‑final against Norway in Miami on Saturday and some bloke up front with a ponytail. Stones knows Erling Haaland, having spent the past four seasons with him at Manchester City, but this was not a time for him to engage on the nitty-gritty of how to stop him.
At one point, as Stones spoke at the Azteca stadium after England’s epic 3-2 win on Sunday, he claimed to have only just been told what side his team play next. Come on, John. Norway beat Brazil to advance well before England stepped out against Mexico. In many respects, it was classic laid‑back Stones, living only in the moment. The central defender did, of course, talk of his respect for Haaland and Norway.
The question that landed with Stones, who is now a free agent after leaving City, was broader and it cut to the heart of England’s chances of going all the way at this tournament; of fulfilling the hopes and dreams that are suddenly running wild. For a good deal of the World Cup, England have been curiously open at the back. There has been a vulnerability about some of their work, too many spaces offered to opponents. Jordan Pickford has not always convinced in goal. And when Mexico scored to make it 3-2 in the 69th minute via Raúl Jiménez’s penalty, England faced the ultimate test of their defensive resolve.
They had played with 10 men since the 54th minute when Jarell Quansah was sent off for a reckless challenge on Jesús Gallardo. Thomas Tuchel brought on Stones as a substitute for Bukayo Saka after that and went to 4-4-1. But the manager’s big move came in the 75th minute when he introduced Dan Burn and Djed Spence for Elliot Anderson and Nico O’Reilly and switched to 5-3-1.
Could England hold on to their lead with 10 men against a Mexico team with an incredible record at the Azteca? They had lost only two of 89 competitive matches at their home stadium. The baying crowd was a factor and so was the altitude. That strange and sapping feeling which the England players could not quite identify? It was the effect of being 2,240 metres above sea level and having had no time to acclimatise.
England’s answer drove the feelgood factor because, with the back five, they did not allow Mexico a clear sight of Pickford’s goal. It was Ezri Konsa at right wing-back, Spence on the other side and Stones, Marc Guéhi and Burn in the middle. There was anxiety from the England support when 11 additional minutes were signalled but none from the players, who measured their progress in blocks, clearances and interceptions.
Stones had five defensive contributions, Burn an extraordinary eight; no England player had more. Spence had six. It was also an excellent game for Pickford. He had made two diving saves to keep out Jiménez in the first half – the first was the showstopper, low to his left at 0-0 – and he was assured under the high ball in the closing stages. As a defensive collective, it was a statement.
“Definitely,” Stones said. “And in terms of our depth, as well – with Dan, Djed and myself coming on, Ezri moving to the right. It’s not an easy place to come; statistically, Mexico have been so good at home. We had 10 men and for that period of time … we had to soak up a lot of pressure and really grind it out.
“It was really pleasing to see the reaction of the blocks and the saves and things like that. It is small wins for us as defenders but they create a real winning mentality and atmosphere that gets everyone pumped up. I’m really pleased for the guys that came on and had such an impact. We’ve done it now and as a player, knowing and being through that experience and coming out on the right side of it is encouraging.”
It has been a difficult season for Stones. He was stopped in his tracks by injury in early December, ruled out for two months and, after that, he appeared in only five more games for City. At the World Cup finals tournament, after starting in the opening game against Croatia, he was an unused substitute against Ghana and Panama. In the last 32 he got on in the 89th minute against the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Stones is the most decorated defender in the England squad, the most capped; plainly the biggest name. He knows that selflessness is everything.
“I’ve been ready to go [and play full matches] from earlier in the year,” he said. “I’ve not had the opportunity, which is what it is. I’m frustrated when I don’t play. I want to play. But I feel like the mentality of the boys that don’t play is incredible and that’s something that is rare within a tournament.
“You’re away from family, you’re training every day, you’re not playing as much as you’d like to … and we’re all hungry to help. We all have the same goal in mind which is to get to that final and see where it takes us. I feel great and I’m loving helping and performing the way I did against Mexico.”
