Sterling heading for home after break-in
England star’s property targeted while his children were present as Southgate says ‘family come first’
‘It’s a private matter but it’s never easy to see one of your team-mates and friends deal with something like that. We’ll have to take it day by day’
‘At the moment, it’s a situation that he needs time with his family to deal with, and I don’t want to put him under any pressure with that’
RAHEEM STERLING missed England’s World Cup win over Senegal after his London home was broken into while he was in Qatar – with no guarantee he will return for Saturday’s quarter-final against France.
The Chelsea star was absent from Gareth Southgate’s squad for the last-16 clash after being given permission to deal with what the Football Association described as “a family matter”.
It has emerged that Sterling’s home was broken into while his children were there, and the former Manchester City player is thought to be shaken and wanting to go home. Southgate revealed after the 3-0 win over Senegal that it would be up to they player when he returned to the squad.
“We’ve got to wait and see,” Southgate told ITV. “At the moment, clearly the priority is for him to be with his family. We’re going to support that, and leave him to have as much time as he needs.
“He’s going home. At the moment, it’s a situation that he needs time with his family to deal with, and I don’t want to put him under any pressure with that.
“Sometimes football isn’t the most important thing, and family should come first.”
Harry Kane, the team captain, sent the best wishes of the rest of the England squad to the 27-year-old.
“Our thoughts are with him and his family,” he told ITV. “It’s a private matter but it’s never easy to see one of your team-mates and friends deal with something like that.
“We’ll have to take it day by day. I’m sure Raheem will speak to the manager and take the best decision for him and his family.
“That’s the most important thing. We send him our best wishes and hope to see him as soon as possible.”
Sterling is the latest footballer to be the victim of a burglary. A number of players who live in the Merseyside area have been victims, while Frank Lampard, the Everton manager, and Dele Alli have also suffered break-ins.
Sterling trained normally at the team’s Al-wakrah Sports Club base on the eve of the clash as he competed for a place in Southgate’s line-up to face the African Cup of Nations champions.
But it was decided he would not be on the bench, the FA confirmed, as the teams were named.
Asked if Sterling’s departure affected his team selection or plans for the Senegal clash, Southgate said: “It didn’t impact the team selection. I spent a lot of time with Raheem this morning, so you have days where events happen and you have to deal with them. He’s on his way home and yeah, we’re obviously mindful of him being allowed space and his privacy respected, so we don’t want to talk in too much detail.
“Of course it’s not ideal for the group ahead of a big game, but it pales into insignificance because the individual is more important than the group in those moments, so we needed to look after the situation and then I had to pass that on to others this afternoon in order to get him home.”
Sterling is the second player sent home for personal reasons after Ben White, the Arsenal centre-half, left the squad last week. White missed the Group B win over Wales on Monday through illness and the FA announced last Wednesday that he had gone home.
“Ben White has left England’s training base in Al-wakrah and returned home for personal reasons,” read an FA statement. “The Arsenal defender is not expected to return to the squad for the remainder of the tournament. We ask that the player’s privacy is respected at this moment in time.”