Several of the England squad have invested in top-notch protection dogs to safeguard their homes and belongings while they are out of the country during the Qatar World Cup. The move follows a surge in brazen burglaries and highly organised gang crimes targeting well-known footballers' homes in more recent years.
To deal with the rising threat, many of Gareth Southgate 's Three Lions have deployed specially-trained Doberman and German shepherds to help protect their families and assets. Pet insurance provider Cliverton.co.uk said guard dogs offer "loyal security against home invasions and burglaries" following "an escalation in the number of footballer-targeted crimes".
Raheem Sterling
Raheem Sterling has had an impressive career from Liverpool to Manchester City and Chelsea, and debuted for England's national team in 2012.
His net worth currently lies at £40 million, with his Cheshire-based mansion costing £3.1 million.
To help protect his family as well as his home, Sterling opted for a specially-trained protection dog when he bought Rottweiler Okan back in 2018.
Kyle Walker
Defender Kyle Walker debuted for England in 2011 and played for teams such as Aston Villa and Manchester City.
With a net worth of £25 million , he believed a specialised guard dog was crucial for the protection of his family and home.
Back in 2021, he spent £40k on a Doberman named Apollo to offer added protection to his £3.5 million six-bed mansion in Cheshire.
Jack Grealish
Fellow City player Jack Grealish is one of the great faces of the England squad, with a net worth of approximately £18 million.
And with his growing popularity and income comes a growing concern for safety and security.
When Dele Alli's house was raided in 2020, Grealish invested £25k in a Belgian Malinois.
He has since gone on to purchase two protection dogs from Chaperone K9 Services this year, spending a further £40k on his security.
This comes after his recent popularity from the World Cup hosted in 2021 and his recent transfer to Manchester City.
Marcus Rashford
Manchester United striker Marcus Rashford has seen incredible success since his club and national debuts back in 2016, and currently has a net worth of £22 million.
Back in 2018, he brought home K9 protection in blue Cane Corso, The Saint.
A spokesperson for Cliverton added: "With the rise of fame comes the rise of threats.
"Whether it is a unit of sniffer dogs seeking out bomb threats or specially trained Doberman and German Shepherds bought for added home security footballers are looking for the ways they can protect their families, homes, and assets."
