Raheem Sterling has revealed the details of a conversation he had with Jadon Sancho on the eve of England’s Euro 2020 qualifier against Kosovo.
Sterling scored England's opener on the South Coast before providing assists for the hosts' second, fourth and fifth goals of the game.
Goals four and five in the 5-3 victory were scored by former City youngster Sancho, and Sterling confirmed after the match that he had spoken to the 19-year-old in his hotel room the night before the match.
"He was in my room at 10.30 last night begging for me to square one for him so I was really happy to see him score his first one,” Sterling said.
“He is a good kid, even when I was at that age I wasn’t doing some of the things he is doing, he is professional, he does all of his treatment, he is in the ice bath.
“I see that he really wants to do well and he has got the ability as well, he is not just relying on his ability. He is putting in hard work in the training sessions.”
On a personal level, Sterling has now scored eight goals in his last appearances for England having previously gone three years without a goal for his country.
"I said to myself that once my first goal went in I knew the goals would come after that and that is all I was waiting for," Sterling said of his previous drought.
“That night in Spain when I scored two, from then I knew I would kick on and score goals.
“The last two years with my club has been terrific scoring goals and all I have wanted to do is do it on the international stage, not just score goals but score goals that will help my team to win football matches.”
