What happened to Raheem Stirling? All we know about armed robbery at striker’s London home

The England men’s football team revealed that star striker Raheem Sterling will not be available for selection for England’s Round of 16 game against Senegal on Sunday night due to a family matter. While the football world wondered about the reason behind Stirling’s absence, it was understood that the 27-year-old travelled back to London after his home was broken into by armed intruders. As reported by The Guardian, speaking after the match, England coach Gared Southgate was unclear about when Sterling will return.

Will Raheem Stirling re-join England’s squad at the FIFA World Cup?

Meanwhile, England went on to claim a 3-0 win over Senegal to advance into the quarterfinals, where they will now face the defending champions France on Saturday. Revealing the whereabouts of Stirling, coach Southgate said the player would be allowed as much time as needed to deal with the emergency. Although Southgate admitted the situation did not help his side’s preparation for the Senegal game, he revealed it didn’t force him to make any changes to the starting lineup. 

What did England coach Gareth Southgate and captain Harry Kane say?

Speaking to ITV, Southgate said, “I really don’t know because at the moment it’s a situation that he needs to be with his family to deal with. I don’t want to put him under any pressure with this. Sometimes football isn’t the most important thing and family has to come first.” Stirling has made two appearances so far for the Three Lions in the ongoing marquee tournament and also scored a goal in their campaign opener against Iran. 

‘It’s a private matter but it’s never easy to see': Harry Kane

At the same time, England skipper Harry Kane also shed his views on the matter and said the entire team’s thoughts are with him Stirling and his family. “It’s a private matter but it’s never easy to see one of your teammates and friends deal with something like that. We’ll have to take it day by day. I’m sure Raheem will speak to the manager and take the best decision for him and his family. That’s the most important thing. We send him our best wishes and hope to see him as soon as possible,” Kane added.