Grealish: It’s mad that I’ve had only

England attacker opens up on family, goals and stats ‘Almiron will get my full respect when we next play’

Jack Grealish is often told what he should and should not speak about, but, fortunately, he rarely listens and the England footballer gave one of his most remarkably open interviews yet in the middle of his first World Cup campaign.

Over the course of 30 illuminating minutes at England’s Al Wakrah base, Grealish barely left any subject uncovered, even getting to his feet in his Gucci sliders and white socks to impersonate Bernardo Silva.

Flanked by “my fellow Brummie” from the Football Association communications team, Grealish was given free rein to captivate and entertain his crowd of print journalists.

Grealish, for the first time, spoke of his regret at mocking Newcastle United forward Miguel Almiron after saying Riyad Mahrez should have been substituted in Manchester City’s final game of last season for “playing like Almiron”.

He also revealed that his sister Hollie, who has cerebral palsy, was unable to see him play at the World Cup, despite being in the stands with his family in Qatar.

There were lighter moments, too, as Grealish ripped into his father Kevin’s World Cup suit and said that he “can’t be arsed” playing Fantasy Football but receives “100 messages every week saying ‘is Haaland starting?’”

Here is Grealish in his own words:

On Almiron

“Do you know what, I haven’t actually been asked about that and let me just address it. Obviously, I’d had a few drinks. We were out celebrating and I wasn’t on my phone on social media. And then I remember I was in Ibiza and it had come out. That was one thing I regret. When I said earlier that sometimes I do stupid stuff, that was one. I regret that. I swear, I’m actually buzzing the way he’s reacted. He said something about me in an interview the other day, he wished me the best. I thought ‘what a guy, man’ because if that was me and somebody had said that about me, I’d have probably been the other way and been like ‘f--- it’.

“I messaged Matt Targett because I’m close with him from Villa and I said to him ‘can you message him for me and say to him that I apologise, I obviously didn’t mean it’. When I look back on that, that was just one thing that was stupid of me to say. I shouldn’t have said it. I didn’t realise it was a video to go out, I thought it was just private. But even in private, I shouldn’t have said it because he’s a fellow professional.

“When I play against him, I’ll show him the most respect because that’s what he’s done in a situation where he probably didn’t have to. Fair play to him and I genuinely hope he does keep scoring, as long as those Newcastle fans stop messaging me.”

On registering one Premier League assist this year

“It’s mad innit, really? I dunno, man. It is crazy when you say that because when you look back to when I was at Villa a couple of years ago – I got three in a game versus Liverpool. When I went to City, I remember thinking I would get so many goals and assists because I didn’t think about the other side of it and when you do get there, it is so much more difficult.

“I do think nowadays – goals and assists – it’s all that people go on about. Look, I want to get goals and assists. I was winding Bernardo [Silva] up not too long ago because he got two assists in a row by passing the ball to Joao Cancelo on the edge of the box, Joao cut in and put it top bin. I’m not saying it shouldn’t be an assist, it should be an assist but people just go on so much.

“One of the best players I’ve played with – and he’s changed the way I see football – is Bernardo. Out of everyone I’ve played with, he is probably the best. He doesn’t get a proper lot of goals and assists – he has got a few this season from passing it to someone and he is putting it in the top bin.

“I remember one game last season, the manager told Bernardo to come get the ball off Ederson [Grealish gets up to demonstrate]. So, Ederson puts the ball down and gives it to Bernardo, who goes off on his little dribble around. I was like ‘what does this guy think he is doing, he thinks it’s school football’. It was unbelievable. But he is unbelievable – he doesn’t get loads of goals and assists. But the way he takes the ball under pressure…pep [Guardiola] says he wants us to show balls, wanting the ball under pressure when the opposition crowd are against you at Anfield, when everyone is whistling and you’re saying ‘give me the ball’. That is Bernardo in a nutshell. That’s what I think I do a little bit. Talking of assists, actually, I think I’ve got quite a few now for England – so put that in your article. I think I’ve got about six or seven [Grealish has six]”

On seeing his sister Hollie after England games in Qatar

“With my little sister, she’s been to the games, but she can only see from here to the sofas over there [about 50 yards]. She’d never be able to see me on the pitch or anything, because she’s visually impaired. But, obviously, it’s just nice to go and spend time with her after because she gets it. But she can’t watch the game, so she sits on her ipad. She’s addicted to Coronation Street, so she watches Coronation Street from about 1998. Kirk is about 10 years old in it, he’s about 40 now, isn’t he?”