In an alternative timeline, Raheem Sterling would likely be featuring for the current England squad under Thomas Tuchel. The manager had identified Sterling as his primary transfer target during the early stages of the Chelsea ownership shift overseen by Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital. Instead, the 31-year-old finds himself without a professional club and preparing for a court-mandated sentencing in November following a guilty plea at Basingstoke Magistrates Court. It is pertinent to remember the magnitude of his rise, to understand his fall.
Sterling, who will turn 32 in December, stands accused of dangerous driving and possession of nitrous oxide. The charges stem from an incident in which he operated a Lamborghini on motorways during rush hour while inhaling the substance from balloons—a dangerous act that witnesses feared could have resulted in fatalities. His legal troubles arrive in sharp contrast to the trajectory of Harry Kane, his former international teammate, who is 16 months his senior and continues to shatter scoring records, reaching a personal peak of 73 goals last season. How have their careers diverged so starkly. Why is Kane thriving while Sterling lives through such a sad and public decline.
Those close to the situation offer varying assessments of his decline. One contact described him as a lost soul, while others characterize him as having been hopelessly misguided throughout his professional life and personal journey. His journey began with promise, rising from childhood experiences helping his mother with cleaning jobs in Stonebridge to becoming a standout talent within Queens Park Rangers’ academy. By age 17, he was already breaking into the Liverpool first team. From the first time I saw him, I thought he had the ingredients to become an international prospect.”.
Mark Anderson, the youth scout who facilitated Sterling’s move to Liverpool as a 15-year-old, recalled him as a player possessing intense passion and natural drive. Former Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard noted in his memoir, My Story, that Sterling displayed a mental toughness that surprised many, enduring rigorous training sessions against experienced defenders like Jamie Carragher and Martin Skrtel despite his slight frame. According to “Raheem was confident,”, Mark Anderson, the Liverpool youth scout who convinced the club to make him one of the most expensive 15-year-olds. “He played with passion and desire. Yet held his own against Martin Skrtel, Mamadou Sakho and Kolo Touré, who towered over him, he was rarely seen in the gym. “Raheem was much tougher mentally than some people might have imagined,” Steven Gerrard wrote in his book, My Story, admitting that he and Jamie Carragher did not go easy on him in training.
The athlete’s reputation began to fluctuate when he declined a £100,000-a-week contract offer at Liverpool, an act that triggered intense public backlash. Despite an interview with the BBC where he denied being a money-driven player, public perception soured further when his agent, Aidy Ward, claimed Sterling would refuse a new deal even for £1 million per week. Liverpool subsequently sold him to Manchester City in a deal worth an initial £44 million.
At his zenith, Sterling was a formidable force. In 2019, he secured a domestic treble with City, scoring twice in the FA Cup final and netting the winning penalty in the League Cup shootout, earning the Football Writers’ Association’s Footballer of the Year honor. He remained instrumental for England, scoring crucial winners during the Euro 2020 group stage and providing key contributions against Germany and Denmark as England reached the final.
Beyond the pitch, Sterling became a prominent voice against societal racism, particularly after he faced media criticism for buying a house for his mother. In 2020, he famously recorded a video declaring, I will never tire of being black. Yet, he also navigated external challenges, including a racially motivated attack outside Manchester City’s training facility and abuse from supporters at Stamford Bridge.
His move to Chelsea in 2022 marked a significant transition. Although the club viewed him as a marquee signing, his tenure was marked by frequent managerial changes, serving under Graham Potter, Frank Lampard, Mauricio Pochettino, and Enzo Maresca. By the summer of 2024, Chelsea made a collective decision to move him on, citing both his personal situation and tactical fit. In a difficult meeting just days before the season opener, Maresca informed Sterling he was surplus to requirements.
While sources close to the player dispute claims of formal disciplinary records, there were reports of occasional tardiness during his time at Chelsea. Sterling eventually secured a loan move to Arsenal, prioritizing staying in London for his family. Reflecting on his current struggles, Thomas Tuchel recently expressed sympathy, describing Sterling as a devoted father and a pleasant person who appears to be navigating a profoundly difficult chapter of his life. Who asked not to be named to protect relationships, paint a complicated picture of Sterling, multiple sources.
