From a boo-boy to an advocate for black players – how Raheem Sterling turned it around

By Антон Зайцев - https://www.soccer.ru/galery/1057623/photo/736005, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=70779272

Some of us give up before even trying, but others stand tall and fight for their dreams. Manchester City’s star forward Raheem Sterling knows all about the difficulties one has to overcome to reach the very top. Born in Kingston, Jamaica, Sterling moved to London with his mom and sister at the age of four.

However, it was not exactly the trip a young boy would have ever dreamed of. One particular family member was missing on the flight that day – the 25-year-old winger lost his dad to a gunshot when he was only two years old.

The first few years in his new surroundings were tough for Sterling. The Jamaican-born winger used to get into trouble in school and wake up at 5 AM every morning to help his mom clean the toilets. Sterling began his soccer career at a local youth team where he spent four years. Later on, he got advocated by his mom to join the Queens Park Rangers youth set-up after turning down Arsenal's offer.

By Kamran Hussain - Raheem Sterling, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=36629278

Sterling’s talent was spotted immediately, which left several Premier League clubs queuing up for the youngster. Liverpool got the better of everyone else by signing the 15-year-old teenage sensation at the time. Sterling made his Liverpool debut in a game against Wigan aged only 17 before receiving his first call-up to the England national side a year later.

Sterling’s breakthrough year came under Brendan Rodgers in the 2013/14 campaign. He scored 10 goals in 38 appearances that season, winning Liverpool’s Young Player of The Year Award and being nominated for the PFA Young Player of the Year.

After a dream start to his career, the youngster had suddenly fallen out with the Liverpool board. The atmosphere became heated between the player and the club when Sterling turned down Liverpool’s contract extension offer. In the summer of 2015, he joined Manchester City for a fee of £49 million, which instantly initiated the wave of hatred. Sterling was immediately portrayed as a ‘snake’ by the media and over the period of just three months became England’s most hated soccer player.

His public image received another battering after England’s shocking EURO 2016 exit to Iceland, with Sterling depicted as the main culprit for the national team’s dismal performances. After reaching the lowest point in his short career, Sterling could have easily given up after all the mental scrutiny he had to take on board. This is perhaps where Sterling’s tough childhood gave him a helping hand to surf through the difficult times and ignore the hatred coming his way.

By Brad Tutterow - Raheem Sterling, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=61801871

After a poor first season in Manchester City colors, Sterling managed to build his mental toughness to the point when he was no longer affected by the comments from the outside world. Since then, he has been a revelation for both club and country, scoring a remarkable 113 goals in total.

Following his outstanding showings on the pitch, Sterling was the first to come out in public and give his views on racial affairs. Consequently, it has completely transformed the media's perception, which even resulted in Sterling being decorated with the Integrity and Impact award by the England manager Gareth Southgate.

Once a boo-boy, Sterling has become a world-class soccer player and an advocate for black players, and a role model everyone wants to follow.