Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City star John Stones makes emotional confession: ‘I thought about quitting’

Since Pep Guardiola connected Manchester citythe team has become one of the best in the world. It has won six Premier League titles and added a UEFA Champions League trophy to its accolades. One of the most important playerswho was instrumental in these successes, recently revealed that he went through a difficult phase with injuries. At just 31 years old, these challenges had happened once prompted the City star to consider retiring from professional football.

“Last season was tough for me, to the point where I thought about quitting… I didn’t want to do it. I was tired of being so professional and trying to do everything I could, only to keep breaking down and having no answers. It was a very difficult place to be… My emotions were high. I wasn’t thinking clearly. I don’t think deep down I would have ever done it [retired],” John Stones said this via BBC Radio 5 Live.

In the 2024-2025 season John Stones suffered foot and thigh injuries and missed a career-high 32 games with Manchester City. At the height of his career, when he led the defense of the Citizen, these setbacks were significant. After a long recovery process, he played six games in the current season and fought to regain his place in the starting lineup.

John Stones, fresh from his return to club action, has earned a place in Thomas Tuchel’s England squad for upcoming matches against Wales and Latvia. Delighted by the call, Stones expressed his enthusiasm, saying: “Some of the best moments of my career have been playing for England. When he (Tuchel) said to me: ‘Do you want to join the boys and continue training?’ I didn’t hesitate for a second,” via BBC Radio 5 Live.

Can John Stones regain his starting place at Manchester City after his injury?

Although John Stones has officially returned to the field, his place as a starter in the lineup is no longer guaranteed. Pep Guardiola has opted for Ruben Dias and Josko Gvardiol as his centre-backs, relegating the England defender to a secondary role as a right-back or backup centre-back. However, Manchester City have not yet seen the desired results early in the season a shift with Stones as starter remains a possibility.

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In Pep Guardiola’s system, no player has a permanent place in Manchester City’s starting eleven. Nathan Aké, Mateo Kovacic and even Bernardo Silva rotate regularly in the line-up, demonstrating Guardiola’s tactical flexibility. This approach keeps the door open for Stones, whose versatility allows him to play as a right back or defensive midfielder. His adaptability could earn him significant playing time as he tries to regain a more prominent role.