RAHEEM STERLING has gone back to his roots to have a kickabout with local kids.
The England international grew up in Brent – within sight of Wembley’s famous arch – and always dreamed of pulling on a Three Lions shirt.
Raheem Sterling grew up within sight of the Wembley arch
The England international starred in an advert with kids from his area
Now he is hoping to inspire others to do the same as he partners with Nike and local authorities to provide coaching clinics in schools.
In an advert to promote the drive, Sterling opens by saying: “The thing is, when you’re a naughty kid from Brent you do things you’re not supposed to do.”
The 25-year-old looks back at his old school and pitches he first learned his trade as he stars alongside kids from the community he grew up in.
He added: “Brent means everything to me – growing up there, having friends from different backgrounds, learning about different cultures and taking that with me.
“It was always my dream to play in the Premier League, play for England. Having Wembley in my backyard, it was always a dream of mine to play there.
“I’ve always wanted to give back to the community that I grew up in and give them an opportunity.
“This partnership with Nike and Brent Schools FA is an opportunity for me to provide guidance and the right help so a lot of kids can have the same dream as me.”
Raheem Sterling always dreamed of playing at Wembley one day
Premier League champions Sterling had to overcome plenty of adversity on his journey after losing his father while still in primary school.
He admitted to struggling in school in an article for the Players’ Tribune where he also opened up on needing to make it to help his mum and sister.
Sterling revealed: “I can remember when I was a kid, there was like three or four times when I was on the bus home from training and my mum would text me a new address. And she would say, ‘This is where we’re living now.’
“There was a two-year period where we were moving all the time, because we couldn’t afford the rent.
“At the time, I barely thought about it. It was just normal to me. But now I understand what it must have been like for her, going through that struggle.”
Sterling and his City team-mates travel to Arsenal tomorrow and the forward will be a key figure for Gareth Southgate’s Euro 2020 ambitions.
England are effectively in a home tournament and Sterling will hope to lift the trophy a stone’s throw from his birthplace with the final at Wembley.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
