Foreign media have extensively discussed the background of Raheem Sterling and his path to Feyenoord. In an analysis of The New York Times describes how the 31-year-old attacker has worked on his physical and mental return after a long period without a permanent starting position at Chelsea. His temporary contract in Rotterdam should be the starting point of a new chapter.
Sterling made his debut for England in November 2012 as a 17-year-old and became an international with 82 caps and twenty goals. His last appearance dates back to the World Cup in Qatar in December 2022, in the quarter-final against France. That tournament was interrupted by a home burglary, after which he temporarily returned to England. A month later he suffered the first serious muscle injury of his career. Since then, he has started only 57 games in two and a half years, abruptly slowing down his previously uninterrupted rise.
The analysis goes back to his childhood in Brent, London. As a young boy, Sterling had difficulty communicating and regulating emotions. Mentor Clive Ellington tried to give him self-confidence through role-playing games. “You know that you have to be able to talk if you make it as a professional footballer, Raheem?” he told him. Sterling preferred to speak with his feet. When Ellington first saw him play football, he was impressed. ”I saw a great football player. I didn’t know if the others were that bad or if he was that good.”
Still, Sterling struggled with setbacks. When he didn’t get the ball, he got frustrated. When he was told that he could no longer play for his amateur club due to a switch to a professional academy, he reacted emotionally. ”He lay on the ground and shouted: ‘You don’t like me.’ He didn’t really know what to expect,” Ellington said. With the support of his mother, he grew into a more confident personality between the ages of fourteen and sixteen.
On a physical level, Sterling has worked intensively in recent years with performance coach Ben Rosenblatt, a former strength coach at the English association. Sterling contacted him himself to protect his speed, explosiveness and running ability. ”He is a phenomenon. An incredible physical specimen,” says Rosenblatt. According to him, Sterling is among the absolute top athletically. “His ability to sprint with the ball at his feet at almost the same speed as without the ball and to change direction late and hard is special.” Even during a hamstring injury, he continued to train. “In one month we built up three kilos of muscle mass in his upper body.”
According to Rosenblatt, the motivation is as great as ever. “You simply can’t work as hard as he does if you don’t really love the game.” Even on rest days, Sterling worked on his fitness for forty minutes a day on the bike. “His face lights up when you talk about scoring again, playing somewhere where he is loved and being part of a team that radiates joy.”
In addition to his sporting career, Sterling is active with his own foundation, with which he wants to offer opportunities to young people in Brent and Manchester, among others. Ellington, now chairman of the foundation’s board, emphasizes that Sterling has remained true to himself. ”He is not a typical top athlete who thinks he is already there. I respect his profession, he is a phenomenon, but he does not always realize what he has achieved.”
The switch to Feyenoord must now show whether Sterling can revive his career. In any case, the foreign reports paint the picture of a player who, outside the spotlight, has worked purposefully on his return to the highest level. In De Kuip he gets the chance to show himself. His biggest dream? Getting back into the picture with the England national team.
Keep reading
