In a decade, Raheem sterling has managed to transform from England’s ‘hated one’ to Southgate’s main man.
On November 14, 2012, Raheem Sterling made his debut in a 4-2 loss to Sweden in Stockholm, which is remembered for Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s famous and spectacular overhead kick.
It’s therefore hard to believe that Raheem Sterling made his England debut ten years ago. It’s a statistic that will make everyone feel old because Sterling is still only 27 and will be one of England’s elder statesmen at the World Cup. Nobody can deny his influence on the England team over the last decade.
During his 79 caps for England, Sterling has gone from teenage prodigy, the self-proclaimed “hated one,” to being a key player in the incredible run to the 2018 World Cup semi-finals.
Sterling was England’s best player at last year’s Euros, and regardless of what is going on at club level, he is a player who goes above and beyond for his country. He has developed into an important player for the Three Lions and is well on his way to achieving 100 caps, which would place him in an elite group of England players destined to become all-time greats. Sterling’s name will be on Gareth Southgate’s mind when he names his starting XI to face Iran next week. He is crucial for England as a reliable performer and, after Jordan Henderson, the squad’s second-most senior player.
Sterling has played alongside Golden Generation players such as Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, Ashley Cole, and John Terry. Then, as a player who younger players look up to, become a leader on and off the field.
His stance on racism landed him on Newsnight, where he expressed the players’ point of view and explained why not enough was being done. He has become a generation’s spokesman.
Sterling has clearly not produced his best form for Chelsea since his summer move from Manchester City to Stamford Bridge. He was unable to attend Chelsea’s defeat at Newcastle on Saturday due to illness, but he will be able to fly to Qatar on Monday. Sterling, on the other hand, had not been starting regularly for Manchester City in the build-up to the Euros and then had the tournament of his life, emphasizing his allegiance to England.
Following in the footsteps of David Beckham, Sterling wore the No7 shirt on his debut, putting immediate pressure on his young shoulders. He appeared for England for 85 minutes, alongside Steven Caulker, Leon Osman, Ryan Shawcross, Carl Jenkinson, and Wilfried Zaha.
It’s safe to say that none of the other five had memorable England careers. In fact, they each won only two more caps. Sterling, meanwhile, quickly became an integral part of Roy Hodgson’s squad, and to demonstrate his prodigious talent, he started England’s first game at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.