English football player Raheem Sterling had to drop out of the England and Senegal World Cup match on Sunday due to what officials say is a “family issue.”
According to reports on Sunday, the Chelsea winger missed the World Cup quarter-finals due to a family matter. The FA announced his sudden absence early on Sunday before the match was to begin at the Al Bayt Stadium.
However, it was later reported that the footballer’s London home was broken into by armed men, and it was robbed of Sterling’s valuables. Among the reported items stolen were jewelry and other personal items. It’s unclear if anyone was home or was hurt in the incident, but the police are investigating.
Raheem Sterling is much loved by World Cup fans and Chelsea fans. Three Lions Boss, Gareth Southgate, also spoke about the footballer’s absence but didn’t reveal any details.
“He is dealing with a family matter, I had quite a bit of time with him this morning but now I have had to pass him on to other people to help him with that… then we will take it from there,” Southgate said.
In the meantime, it’s unclear what this means for Sterling if the England team advances in the Qatar World Cup 2022. The Chelsea baller played in two of England’s qualifying matches- the opening match with Iran that they won 6-2, and against the USA, which ended with a draw with both teams scoring nil goals
Despite his absence, the Three Lions boss shared with ITV that he was confident in the team beating Senegal to advance.
As for Raheem Sterling, he has not confirmed or denied the reports. The footballer is said to be heading back to London to deal with the police regarding the home invasion.
“Of course, it is not ideal for the group ahead of a big game, but it pales into insignificance,” Southgate said. “The individual is more important than the group in those moments. I needed to look after the situation and then I had to pass that onto others to deal with this afternoon in order to get him home.”
