Stones goes from brink of retirement to World Cup 'pure joy'

John Stones' selection in England's World Cup squad raised some eyebrows - and the man himself may have been surprised had he been told at his lowest ebb that his country would still be needing him.

Stones says he had to "dig deep" to come through one of the most challenging periods of his career before securing his place in the 26-player group.

The 32-year-old is in line to start in England's tournament opener against Croatia on Wednesday despite revealing last October he spent some time considering retirement after a string of injuries.

Stones is highly regarded by manager Thomas Tuchel and…