LONDON, England – Raheem Sterling, a star for England, returned home from the World Cup after armed burglars invaded his home, according to head coach Gareth Southgate and the English Football Association on Sunday.

After Saturday night’s break-in at his property outside of London while his family was inside, Sterling was not included in the England squad for its 3 to 0 victory over Senegal in the round of 16.

Southgate stated at his post-game press conference that the player was “on his way home.” We are clearly aware of his being afforded space and privacy, so we don’t want to go in too much depth. We’ve got to give him time to try to settle that (problem) or be there for his family.

“It is not the best situation for the team before a major game, but it is insignificant. In certain circumstances, the individual is more significant than the group.

Thanks to goals from Harry Kane, Jordan Henderson, and Bukayo Saka, England breezed into their quarterfinal clash with France on Saturday. However, all eyes were on Sterling, who this summer transferred to London club Chelsea from Manchester City.

There was no news on whether Sterling, who played 139 minutes in total over England’s opening two games before getting a break against Wales, would be able to travel back to Qatar at a later stage of the competition.

Shortly after the FA said Sterling was out due to a “family problem” 90 minutes before the match, more information became available.

According to a statement given to the Press Association, an English news agency, Raheem Sterling missed England’s World Cup victory over Senegal because armed burglars came into his home while his family was there the previous night.

Before Sterling’s hastily scheduled flight return to London, Southgate and Sterling spent a large amount of time together on Sunday morning.

The latter statement said that the player was “understandably shocked” and that his main worry was “the well-being of his children.”

Sterling is still a valuable option for Southgate if he could return to Qatar because of his pace and cunning with the ball in his hands.

Soccer players from prestigious teams in the Premier League have been often targeted for home invasions during games, Champions League travels, or tournaments for more than ten years.

Meanwhile, Sterling misses an epic match

England defeats Senegal 3-0 in the round of 16 to advance to the World Cup quarterfinals and face France, the defending champions. 

After a sluggish start at the Al Bayt Stadium, England gained momentum when Jordan Henderson’s game-opening goal was expertly assisted by Jude Bellingham in the 39th minute. 

Bellingham started an excellent England counterattack right before the break, which Harry Kane (45+3) finished off to net his first goal of the match and make things much better for Gareth Southgate’s team. 

After the half, England’s drive into the round of eight was extended by Bukayo Saka (57), who had been reinstated to the starting lineup, with a magnificent finish from Phil Foden’s ball.

In order to keep his team fresh for what lies ahead, Southgate made a number of substitutes, which resulted in a relatively comfortable finish for England. 

Sarr’s spectacular attempt over the crossbar on the game’s first play was one of the game’s key moments. Pickford saved England by making a fantastic block to stop Dia. Henderson received a squared ball from Bellingham to set up England’s first goal.  As Kane completes a thrilling England counterattack, the advantage is doubled. By scoring on Foden’s inch-perfect cross, Saka helped England increase their lead.

On December 10, 2022, England will compete against the dominant team of France. The semifinal game will be England’s following contest. Any of these teams—Morocco, Portugal, Spain, or Switzerland—will be their opponents.