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Raheem Sterling has sent out a clear message to England manager Gareth Southgate that he can provide a ton of experience to the line-up at the World Cup 2022. Despite struggling for form since the move to Chelsea in the summer, Sterling had been picked as one of the 26 players to travel with the England squad to Qatar for the World Cup 2022. Since the £50 million switch from Manchester City in the summer, Sterling has only been able to get four goals for the blues and his form has not improved even after the arrival of Graham Potter.
Sterling Gets the Nod
Many critics argue that Sterling should not be picked ahead of players like Bukayo Saka, who have been showing much better form so far in the 2022-23 Premier League campaign. However, Sterling has reminded those critics that he holds a key place in the squad after having been part of the previous two World Cup editions as well. In fact, Sterling has represented England in five major tournaments since making his debut – as a raw 17-year-old – a decade ago.

“Ten years ago to the day, I made my debut for @england something I’d dreamed about since I was a boy staring up at those Wembley arches. Now here I am heading into my third World Cup, and now it’s me holding the most caps… reality really can be crazier than dreams sometimes.” – Sterling
Sterling’s overall World Cup record, though, is not exceptional after having featured in nine appearances and failing to get a goal in any of the games. At the Euros, Sterling has had a decent impact with three goals in 10 appearances and he was a crucial player for the Three Lions during the Euro 2020. Sterling’s biggest impact has been the Euro qualifiers after registering 10 goals in just 15 international games. Since Roy Hodgson give his debut in 2012, Sterling has gone on to feature in 78 matches for the national team and he has also been given the honour of leading the team on four occasions.
Competition Catching up Fast
It will not be a straightforward appearance in the starting line-up for Sterling this time around. The Chelsea winger faces stiff competition from the likes of Phil Foden, Bukayo Saka, and even his club teammate Mason Mount. Even though Southgate has preferred Sterling ever since he was appointed as the England boss in 2016, there is a strong case being presented for serious consideration of the same.
Bukayo Saka comes into the tournament with excellent form after having managed four goals and six assists in the league for the Gunners, who have emerged as a strong title challenger as a result of such consistent performances. Compared with the performances of Bukayo Saka, even the likes of Mount may not be able to get into the starting line-up. Mount has only managed two goals in his last 10 games for club and country and he has not scored since the middle of October.
These numbers are pale in comparison with the figures put out by Phil Foden so far this season. The Manchester City midfielder has been able to hit seven goals in the 11 league starts so far this season and he has already contributed through 3 assists. On the international front, though, Foden last experience of playing in a major tournament like the World Cup as he has only appeared in three Euro games until now.
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