However, appreciation of Sterling the player and the man now extends from the estate he grew up in the shadows of England’s national stadium, to Manchester and beyond as he becomes an ever more important figure on and off the field for club and country.
His 19 goals and 16 assists for Pep Guardiola’s men have seen him emerge as City’s leading candidate for player of the year awards, while a three-year drought for England has been emphatically ended by a run of six goals in his last four international caps. Instead, harmless off the field activities such as buying his mother a house, taking a budget airline flight or even going for breakfast the day after missing out on a young player of the year awards were picked apart and judged.
“He’s in a really confident moment, not only on the field, but off the field he’s so mature and comfortable in himself,” said England manager Gareth Southgate. “We can’t hide from the fact that he’s had difficult moments with England and he’s turned that full circle.” That faith has been more than rewarded. Even as the Catalan coach was left frustrated at times in his first two seasons by Sterling’s failings in front of goal, he promised “he will become one of the best players in the world because he has everything.”