Stones was 'thinking the worst' with toe injury

John Stones will be one of the first names on the England team sheet

England defender John Stones says he was worried he had broken his toe last week - but is ready to go in his country's Euro 2024 opener against Serbia on Sunday after injury and illness.

The 30-year-old Manchester City centre-back came off at half-time in the 1-0 friendly defeat by Iceland last Friday.

Stones - a guaranteed starter for England if available - then missed training in Germany on Wednesday through illness.

On the injury he suffered against Iceland, he said: "It was almost like my big toe in the line straight down my foot and you think 'I have fractured it'.

"You think the worst at the start and we got some scans back and [it was] really minor stuff and came through it, which is great."

He added he never thought he might miss the Euros with the problem.

Stones fell ill soon after arriving in Germany with "hot and cold sweats" and said "I felt quite alone".

He spent Wednesday isolated in his hotel room in an attempt to prevent the sickness bug spreading to his team-mates.

"You are not at home, no-one around you. And then being stuck in my room all day, no food. But it kind of puts things into perspective in terms of health and in general, how lucky I am over the years.

"I don’t get ill or sickness. I think it was a good time, if it was ever going to happen, during this week and I got back out on Thursday."

England face Denmark on 20 June and Slovenia on 25 June in their other Group C games.