Raheem Sterling has delivered a message on the eve of England's World Cup campaign kicking off. The Chelsea star has had a difficult start to life back in London for his new club but is still expected to play a key role for Gareth Southgate's Three Lions squad in Qatar.
Sterling has scored four goals for Chelsea and two under new manager Graham Potter but has struggled for form over the past two months whilst the Blues slumped down the table. The break that comes with the World Cup may well be a good chance for Sterling to reset.
He is one of three Chelsea players making the trip to Qatar and will be hoping to go one step further than England managed in Euro 2020 and lift the trophy.
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Sterling will be playing at his third World Cup after also taking part in Brazil 2014 and Russia 2018, it will be his fifth major tournament too.
This week also marks a landmark for Sterling as it is 10 years since his international debut. To commemorate the occassion he tweeted: "Ten years ago to the day, I made my debut for @england something I’d dreamed about since I was a boy staring up at those Wembley arches. Now here I am heading into my third World Cup, and now it’s me holding the most caps... reality really can be crazier than dreams sometimes."
It was Roy Hodgson that handed 17-year-old Sterling his first cap in 2012 as a late substitute in 'the Zlatan Ibrahimovich match' against Sweden. Since then Sterling has played 78 more times for his country, captaining them four times.
He also has 19 goals in that time, including five in major tournaments. He was arguably England's best player during Euro 2020.
Things won't be as straightforward this winter though with Arsenal's Bukayo Saka, Manchester City star Phil Foden and teammate Mason Mount all offering competition for the forward spots alongside Harry Kane. Sterling has been a first choice player ever since Southgate took over in 2016 but is going through his worst patch of club form.
It's a matter that has seen Jamie Carragher admit he may not be the best bet to start. “I love Raheem Sterling and he was England’s best player in the Euros, he was out of this world,” the former Liverpool defender said. “This season his form has not been great and lately in an England shirt. Saka has been playing that well in that position.
“I prefer Raheem on the left so it wasn’t a case of Saka vs Sterling. It was always going to be Saka on that side and then it’s Sterling vs Foden. I just think the actual ability of Foden, the way he’s playing since the European Championships, I’d go with him.”
Carragher wasn't alone with this opinion, Jamie Redknapp said: “Saka is bang in form, so I feel he has to play as well”.
Rio Ferdinand agreed: “If he’s in that mode going into the World Cup, I don’t see anybody starting in front of him on the right-hand side.”
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