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AL KHOR, Qatar, Dec 4 (Reuters) – England’s Raheem Sterling, who was left out of the squad for Sunday’s 3-0 World Cup win over Senegal, will return to Britain on Monday to be with his family, coach Gareth Southgate said, local media reported. reported a break-in at his home.
“I spent some time with him today. He’s going home. And obviously, family is the most important thing at the moment,” added Southgate, when asked about Chelsea forward Sterling amid reports of a home invasion.
“So we want to give him that space. And we’ll see in the next few days how it all develops.”
Southgate did not elaborate on the incident or say whether Sterling planned to return to the squad in Qatar.
The 27-year-old, who has 81 caps, was left out of the squad for the match in which England book a place in the World Cup quarter-finals against holders France next weekend.
England’s Football Association said Sterling was unavailable for “personal reasons”.
Asked later about the incident, Southgate said he would not discuss the details as it was a private matter.
“Obviously it’s not ideal for a group preparing for a game, but in those moments the individual is more important than the group,” he told reporters.
England captain Harry Kane, who scored the second goal of the game, said the team wished Sterling well and hoped to see him again “as soon as possible”.
“It’s never easy to see one of your teammates and friends go through something like this,” he added.
“So we have to take it day by day, I’m sure Raheem will talk to the manager and make the best decision for him and his family, that’s the most important thing.”
Reported by Andrew Cawthorne; Written by Martin Petty in Doha; Editing by Ken Ferris
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
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