England defender John Stones has revealed the story behind his dressing-room prank that left manager Thomas Tuchel briefly fearing he had suffered a shoulder injury after the Three Lions’ dramatic 3-2 World Cup last-16 victory over Mexico.
The light-hearted moment quickly went viral after footage showed Tuchel celebrating with his players before suddenly stopping when Declan Rice appeared to alert him that Stones was hurt. Moments later, the defender burst into celebration, leaving the England boss relieved as the dressing room erupted.
Stones Reveals Truth Behind Viral Celebration
Reflecting on the now-famous incident, Stones admitted he deliberately tried to convince Tuchel that he had picked up an injury before revealing it was all part of the joke.
“It’s feeling better now, it’s feeling better — it has its ups and downs,” Stones joked during an interview with England’s in-house media.
“I tried to keep a straight face as I was doing it because I saw he was concerned and thinking, ‘has he actually hurt himself?'”
The Manchester City defender said Tuchel’s reaction was understandable, particularly after Jordan Henderson had suffered an accidental injury while jumping over the advertising boards following the match.
England Dressing Room Enjoyed ‘Good Vibes’ After Mexico Win
Stones said the prank reflected the positive atmosphere inside England’s dressing room after securing a place in the World Cup quarter-finals.
“Especially after what Hendo had just done outside, he didn’t know what was going to come but it was good vibes in there,” Stones said.
“I didn’t think it would get that much traction to be fair.”
The clip has since attracted more than 40 million views across social media platforms.
England Prepare For Norway Quarter-Final
Stones started England’s opening 4-2 victory over Croatia before making a late substitute appearance in the 2-1 win against DR Congo. He was introduced with just over half an hour remaining against Mexico after Bukayo Saka was withdrawn following Jarell Quansah’s red card.
England will now face Norway in the FIFA World Cup quarter-finals in Miami on Saturday, with Tuchel’s side aiming to move one step closer to lifting the trophy.
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