England's oldest ex-footballer praises Three Lions at 2026 World Cup

Frank Blunstone, believed to be England's oldest former international footballer, has praised the Three Lions for their performance so far during the 2026 World Cup. The 91-year-old, who made five appearances for his country in the 1950s, told BBC Radio Stoke that England had "done very well" despite a couple of tough fixtures.

Blunstone's football career

Blunstone began his career at Crewe Alexandra at the age of 16 before moving to Chelsea two years later. He made 365 appearances for the club, scoring 59 goals, until an injury forced him to retire at 29. Born in Crewe, Cheshire, he was selected for England just days before a match against Wales in 1954, replacing the injured Nat Lofthouse. Reflecting on pulling on the England shirt, he said: "It's fantastic. It's something you dream of. I never thought I'd play for England."

Playing alongside legends

Blunstone recalled playing alongside legends such as Sir Stanley Matthews and Jimmy Greaves, describing them both as "world class" footballers. When asked whether modern stars like Harry Kane or Jude Bellingham would have fit into the England team of his era, he replied: "Oh definitely, absolutely. Any strikers would have fit in. I was lucky enough to play with the best… Jimmy Greaves – absolutely fantastic. It's a natural thing, they've got everything it takes to score goals."

Views on modern football

While Blunstone admitted he had not watched much of the 2026 tournament due to his bedtime being 20:30 BST, he offered his thoughts on England's upcoming match against Norway. "It's not an easy game," he said. "A lot of teams now, they come out, make sure they don't lose – that's their first priority. It's difficult to break down, this is why you get 1-0, 2-1, 1-0 and late goals. They won't attack from the word go." He noted that the tactic of teams getting "11 behind the ball" often makes the modern game "boring".

Criticism of hydration breaks

Blunstone also criticised hydration breaks, contrasting them with the conditions he faced as a player. "I remember playing for England in Portugal on a Sunday afternoon," he said. "It kicked off at 15:00, absolutely steaming hot. We got beat 2-0 and we were having cold showers before the game to try and cool down. We had to play in it, we didn't get any breaks."

Life after playing

Following his playing career, Blunstone worked as a coach at Brentford and abroad in Greece. He currently serves as president of Nantwich Town FC in Cheshire and often attends games to lend his support. "I was in football all my life," he added. "To get paid for doing something you really enjoy is fantastic."