The Football Association has offered to increase security at the England players’ homes after Raheem Sterling’s house was burgled while he was away at the World Cup.
Sterling left England’s Al Wakrah training base and flew back to London on Sunday morning after learning of what happened, meaning he was absent for the last 16 win against Senegal that night.
A spokesperson for Sterling said his family were at home when the burglary took place, but Surrey police claimed in a statement on Monday that while jewellery and watches were stolen “no threat of violence was involved as the items were discovered stolen retrospectively”.
The whole England squad was offered enhanced security at their homes by the FA ahead of travelling to Qatar for the World Cup and staff will hold talks with the players again given the ripples sent through the camp by what happened to their team-mate.
Sterling, 27, was left “shaken” by the break-in, a spokesperson said, and was concerned for the well-being of his partner, Paige Milian, and their young children.
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“We had offered [security] to players, without talking about the individual details too much because I think it’s important we respect his privacy,” Southgate said, after the Senegal victory. “But that was something we did discuss with the players before we left.
“I think there’s a little bit [for Raheem] in the midst of moving house that played a part in that. But we are very conscious of it. And with what’s happened, we will have that conversation again.”
Southgate said it was “impossible to say” if Sterling, who started England’s first two games of the tournament and has been one of Southgate’s most consistent players, would return to the camp and be in contention for the France match. “I’ve got to give him the space,” the England manager said.
Turning his attention to France, Southgate compared Kylian Mbappe, whose two goals in France’s last 16 win against Poland made him the youngest player since Pele in 1958 to score five World Cup knockout goals, to Lionel Messi.
“[Mbappe] is a world-class player who is always producing the moments when they are needed and that is what those top, top players do,” Southgate said. “Australia did so many things right [against Argentina] and Messi pops up and delivers that moment. That is what the big guys do. That is the challenge we face.”
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