RAHEEM STERLING has been given the nickname ‘Martin Luther King’ because of his stand against racism.
The England and Man City star was given the moniker comparing him to the legendary civil rights activist by Etihad team-mate Kyle Walker.
Raheem Sterling was given the Martin Luther King nickname by Man City team-mate Kyle Walker
King, who was assassinated in 1968, is known worldwide for his iconic ‘I have a dream’ speech and his fight for equal rights in the United States.
Walker says he compared Sterling – who suffered racist abuse from Chelsea and Bulgaria fans – to King because both are passionate about campaigning against racism.
Sterling’s fellow England ace said: “I call him Martin Luther King in training. He did have a dream and he’s making the dream come true.
“He can be the best player in the world in my opinion. There’s not a nicer man that I would want to happen to.”
Sterling himself said of speaking out against racism in the game: “People gave me congratulations for it but it’s not something I tried to do for reward.
“It was something I felt was a serious issue and I had had enough.”
Sterling was nominated for the main SPOTY prize largely because of the way he has spoken out on the problem.
In an interview with Gary Lineker live from the Emirates after City’s 3-0 win at Arsenal, the England star admitted: “It was an issue which I have fought since I was 17.
Sterling performed this celebration after being racially abused by Montenegro fansCredit: Getty Images – Getty
“There were constant headlines about me which I deemed unfair.
“It came to a point where I could see it happening in stadiums, where people had this anger towards me for no exact reason.
“I thought at that moment it was the perfect time to let my voice be heard and speak up.
“But it’s not just down to me to try and make a difference, it is a collective.
“Not just people in football but people in everyday life.
“Racism is about education and learning about people’s different upbringings and I feel that is the way to move forward.”
His Man City boss Pep Guardiola said: “Always I will be grateful because he inspired other people. He made a step forward to say that it’s not the right way.
“He said what he said because it comes from the bottom of his heart.
“A few seasons ago he was a little bit shy, I would say.
“But now he feels handsome.”
Told of Guardiola’s “handsome” comment, Sterling smiled: “Handsome? I’ve been told that a few times.”
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
