- John Stones had isolated himself from the squad to prevent the spread of disease
- Stones returned to training on Thursday with all 26 players training in Blankenhain
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England received a major boost ahead of their Euro 2024 opener against Serbia when John Stones returned to training after an illness on Thursday.
The Manchester City defender had isolated himself from his compatriots throughout Wednesday to prevent his illness from spreading through the squad.
Doubts had been raised as to whether Stones would recover in time to start in the center of defense in Gelsenkirchen on Sunday, with Lewis Dunk waiting on standby.
But it appears the 30-year-old has shrugged it off as all 26 members of Gareth Southgate’s squad were spotted on the training pitches in Blankenhain.
Stones is the Three Lions’ most experienced defender and without Harry Maguire in the squad, Southgate will hope his return to the field is good news for his fitness.
John Stones was spotted training on Thursday, just one day after missing a session due to illness
The Manchester City defender’s return will certainly please England boss Gareth Southgate
All 26 players took to the field in preparation for Sunday’s opener against Serbia
Stones, 30, no longer kept his distance from the team when he started work
The defender has struggled to stay match-ready over the past year. He made just 12 Premier League appearances for Manchester City as they stormed to a fourth successive title.
His concerns have also spilled over into international duty, when he was forced off at half-time for England’s 1-0 draw against Iceland last week due to an ankle problem.
However, his scare may be behind him as he was seen back in action along with his compatriots, with a stern look on his face.
The laughing and joking nature of Tuesday’s session seemed to be sinking into the squad, but the England stars remained focused on their date with Serbia in three days’ time.
Luke Shaw continued his quest for fitness, training for the third day in a row after only kicking a ball for the first time in five months on Tuesday.
Although he will still miss Sunday’s match at the Veltins-Arena, it looks like his progress on the pitch will stand him in good stead when he plays against Denmark on June 20.
The mood was high in the camp as Aaron Ramsdale and Dean Henderson laughed
Gareth Southgate was cooled by a sprinkler as the sun beat down on the team
Meanwhile, the goalkeeping contingent was in good spirits as Aaron Ramsdale and Dean Henderson laughed in the German sunshine.
The Weimarer Land Spa and Golf Resort, the luxury five-star venue where England train, looked beautiful as the sun shone on the Three Lions.
And Southgate suffered an unwanted chill when he landed in the middle of a sprinkler, but he saw the funny side.