After his home was broken into, Raheem Sterling left the England World Cup squad in Qatar and returned to London.
The 27-year-old Chelsea winger missed Sunday’s 3-0 quarterfinal victory over Senegal.
Saturday evening’s burglary, in which jewelry and watches were stolen, occurred when no one was home, according to Surrey Police, and no threats of violence were involved.
The player’s representative stated that Sterling is “putting the wellbeing of his three young children first.”
After England’s game on Sunday, manager Gareth Southgate stated, “Family should sometimes take precedence before football.”
According to his spokeswoman, Sterling was “shaken” by the news and “immediately desired to return home, fearing for the safety of his children.”
Southgate continued, “We want to give him space, and we’ll see how that develops over the next few days.”
Initially, it was alleged that armed burglars had broken into his home while his family was present.
However, in a statement issued on Monday, police stated: “Currently, we are investigating a complaint of a break-in at a residence in Oxshott, Leatherhead.
“When the inhabitants returned home, they discovered that several things, including jewelry and watches, had been stolen. Inquiries are being conducted to determine the circumstances, and the inquiry is ongoing.
As the stolen things were found after the fact, no threat of physical force was engaged.
Declan Rice, Sterling’s England teammate, said after the Senegal match, “I saw him at breakfast this morning, and then the manager said he was having problems at home, so we’ve all given him a message.”
Saturday, England’s next World Cup match is against France in the quarterfinals.
Sterling is the second player to quit the England squad, following Arsenal defender Ben White, who returned home for personal reasons on 30 November.
Three intruders who targeted several properties in the northwest of England in November 2018, including the home of Sterling in Cheshire, were imprisoned two years ago.
The 27-year-old Chelsea attacker started and scored in England’s opening group game victory over Iran, before being recalled for the 0-0 draw with the United States.
Southgate selected to start Marcus Rashford and Phil Foden with Harry Kane for England’s 3-0 victory over Wales.
The England manager has frequently depended on Sterling throughout key tournaments; he started all seven Euro 2020 matches for England.
