Why did Raheem Sterling go home and is he returning for England vs France at the World Cup?
Sponsored by
RAHEEM STERLING has returned to Qatar and is available to play for England in the World Cup after a robbery at his home.
Sterling missed the Three Lions' 3-0 win over Senegal as he headed back to the UK to see to his wife Paige and their three kids.
Why was Raheem Sterling NOT playing for England against Senegal?
Raheem Sterling pulled out of England's last-16 tie with Senegal after learning that his Surrey home was broken into on Saturday night.
Sterling was forced to fly back from the World Cup after burglars smashed into his home.
It has since emerged that his wife and children were at home during the time of the break-in.
The FA had said before kick-off that Sterling was missing out to deal with a "family matter".
Read more World Cup
The statement read: "Raheem Sterling is not available for selection for the #ThreeLions tonight as he is dealing with a family matter."
The shock announcement came just hours before the Three Lions were due to kick off against the African Cup of Nations champs.
Sterling had started both of England's games against Iran and USA but was then benched for the 3-0 win over Wales.
The 27-year-old has scored 21 times in 80 caps in total.
Most read in Football
England boss Gareth Southgate says Sterling intends to return for the France quarter-final on Saturday night, but football has rightly taken a backseat currently.
Southgate said: "I really don’t know, it’s a situation he needs time to deal with, I don’t want to put any pressure on him.”
"Sometimes football isn’t the most important thing and family should come first."
Will Sterling play for England against France at the World Cup?
Sterling is flying back to Qatar to make himself available for the rest of England's World Cup campaign.
It is unlikely he will start against France given he has missed training for the last few days.
But should Southgate's side triumph against Les Bleus, he will very likely be a key part of the squad again for a semi-final match-up against Portugal or Morocco.
World Cup 2022
Everything you need to know about the World Cup
World Cup 2022 LIVE: Latest news and updates from Qatar
World Cup schedule: What are the kick-off times for ALL matches?
World Cup prize money - how much does the winner earn?
Who are the ITV pundits and commentators?
Who are the BBC pundits and commentators?
Meet England's World Cup wags, who are staying on a £1bn cruise ship