Gareth Southgate has heaped praises on Raheem Sterling as the Manchester City player’s first hat-trick for England sealed a memorable win against the Czech Republic at the Wembley.
The Manchester City player took the centre stage as he was involved in four goals as the Three Lions routed the Czechs 5-0 to kick start their Euro qualification campaign in emphatic fashion.
Sterling played a central role in England’s road to the World Cup semis and also had his contribution as the Three Lions reached the semifinal of the inaugural UEFA Nations League.
Sterling has been pretty consistent for both his club and country and Southgate insists he is indeed a role model for the younger players. “I put Raheem into the leadership group that we have, he is showing those signs.
“He is a role model for the younger players coming in; he’s really focused on his training and preparation and I think he’s enjoyed that extra responsibility. It was a really special night for him.
“[Tonight] I saw what I’ve seen all week from Raheem, so it didn’t surprise me. He’s in a really confident moment on and off the field. He’s so mature and comfortable in himself.
“I’m so delighted he got the reaction he did from the crowd because we can’t hide from the fact he’s had difficult moments with England. He’s turned that full circle.
“His finishes tonight are ones he took on without thinking too much. You could almost see the thought process in the past but now he’s hungry for those goals, he’s added that incentive to his game and I thought he was devastating today.”
