Armed Intruders break into home of Raheem Sterling

Raheem Sterling was left out of the starting 11 for England’s world cup match against Senegal today, with “family reasons” being cited at the time.

It’s now known that he had been alerted to the fact his family home had been broken into, with his family, including his young children, inside. It’s understood that the incident happened on Saturday night.

Raheem Sterling is said to be “shaken” by the incident, and concerned for the welfare of his children. As a result, he has made the decision to fly home from Qatar early.

The decision comes as his team mates today beat Senegal 3-0, to secure a place in the quarterfinals against France.

Speaking after the match, manager Gareth Southgate said of his early departure “Sometimes football isn't the most important thing and family should come first.”