Sterling leaves Qatar after armed robbers break into his UK home

Raheem Sterling has left the England World Cup squad in Qatar and returned to London after armed intruders broke into his home with his family inside.

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England’s next match at the World Cup is against France in the quarter-finals on Saturday.

Sterling is the second player to leave the England squad after Arsenal defender Ben White, who returned to the UK on 30 November for personal reasons.

Two years ago, three burglars who targeted a number of homes in the north west of England, including an attempted break-in at Sterling’s then-home in Cheshire in November 2018, were jailed.

The Chelsea forward, 27, started and scored in England’s 6-2 win over Iran in their opening group game before being called on again for the 0-0 draw with the United States.

The England boss has often relied on Sterling during major tournaments; he started all seven of England’s Euro 2020 matches.

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— England (@England) December 4, 2022