Sterling Next In Line For An England Half-Century

Last updated : 09 April 2019 By Three Lions

Sir Stanley Matthews' 1954-55 England cap

Raheem Sterling stands on 49 caps for his country after the recent Euro 2020 qualifiers where the Manchester City man underlined his growing importance to Gareth Southgate with dominant displays against both the Czech Republic and Montenegro in which he scored four goals and provided a number of assists as well.

Despite being only 24-years-old Sterling has become one of the elder statesmen of the current England squad, looked up to by the likes of Callum Hudson-Odoi and Jadon Sancho among others.

Handed his debut by Roy Hodgson as far back as 2012 in a friendly against Sweden, Sterling has grown up firmly in the media spotlight at both club and international level, his decision to leave Liverpool and his life outside of football attracting column inches and barbed criticism aplenty.

Of course even as part of an England set-up that surpassed expectations at the World Cup his lack of goals was often the only negative story surrounding the squad in Russia but the transformation in his standing has come not just fro performances on the pitch, kickstarted by two goals in the superb win away to Spain in October, but by his increasingly assertive views on racism in football.

Thanks as always to England Stats for the extra info.