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Chelsea legend Chris Sutton has called on Thomas Tuchel to drop John Stones for England’s critical FIFA World Cup 2026 Group L match against Ghana on Tuesday.
While discussing the selection dilemmas on BBC Sport, Sutton stated that the standard debate surrounding whether Marc Guéhi or Ezri Konsa should start is targeting the wrong player. Instead, he insisted that the two younger center-backs should start together, displacing the veteran defender.
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Sutton noted that Konsa and Guéhi possess superior attributes to handle isolated, one-against-one situations against high-caliber, fast-paced attackers like Ghanains.
“Why is the debate Guehi for Konsa and not Stones? I’d have Guehi and Konsa because they are the best defenders.
“Don’t get me wrong, Stones has been a great player and I have huge respect for his career, but you’re talking about a guy who doesn’t even have a club for next season yet.
“I don’t think Stones has the athleticism which the other two possess. Konsa and Guehi have better attributes in 1v1 situations than Stones, and there’ll be times in games when they’ll be isolated against players of the highest class.”
Stones only managed five Premier League starts last season before his Manchester City contract expired this summer, leaving him currently clubless and lacking competitive minutes.
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He concluded his illustrious decade-long tenure at Manchester City, cementing his legacy as a club legend with 19 major trophies, including six Premier League titles.
Despite recurring injuries and a limited 18-appearance season, his composed defending earned him a spot in England’s squad for the summer World Cup.
