England winger Raheem Sterling has returned from the World Cup after armed robbers broke into his family home back in the UK. After starting two of the Three Lions’ three World Cup games so far, Sterling missed England’s 3-0 victory against Senegal in the round of 16 after being ruled out of the squad due to a “family concern” shortly before kickoff. Sterling was reportedly distraught and worried for his children’s safety when he heard about the break-in and wanted to return home as quickly as possible. Sterling’s return to the UK has been confirmed by manager Gareth Southgate, but if the conditions are right, it’s believed the player might also go back to Qatar. On Saturday, England will play France in the quarterfinals.
“I truly don’t know, and I don’t want to put any pressure on him because he needs time to deal with this circumstance,” England manager Gareth Southgate said when asked whether Raheem Sterling would return to play in the World Cup. “Family should always come first and football shouldn’t always be the top priority.”
“He and his family are in our prayers. It is a private situation with him, but it’s never pleasant to witness a member of your team or a friend go through that,” England captain Harry Kane said. “We will consider all the options as we go along and make the greatest choice for him and his family. We wish him the best and hope to see him as soon as possible on behalf of the entire crew.”
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