See How Raheem Sterling became more clinical than Harry Kane and a father figure to Jadon Sancho

It has been some coming of age in an England shirt for the 24-year-old during the 10 months since he found himself forced to defend his taste in tattoos. The response has been fearless: calling out perceived racism off the field and saving his strongest statements of all for the day job in front of goal. A hat-trick on Friday and his brace against Spain have only served to bring Sterling’s England form in line with the more steady but no less impressive trajectory of improvement in the Premier League, where his accuracy has improved every year from 29 per cent in 2012-13 to 56 per cent this season for Manchester City. Once profligate, he is presently statistically more clinical than Harry Kane. His 15 goals in the Premier League have come via 57 shots, while Kane has taken 93 to net his 17 league goals for Tottenham. So rapid is this boy-to-man journey that on Saturday Jadon Sancho, the teenager who has so much in common with the Manchester City hitman, compared Sterling to a father figure. “Yeah, that’s what happens, if you show it on the pitch,” said the fellow Londoner, who turns 19 on Monday - the day England face Montenegro. “His numbers are crazy this year, so I’m happy for him.” Nowhere is Sterling’s recent maturity welcomed more than in the England dressing room, where Gareth Southgate has recently promoted him to his group of squad leaders. “I just think he’s really matured as a person and a footballer,” said the manager.

22nd March 2019, Wembley Stadium, London, England; UEFA European Championships Qualification football, England versus Czech Republic; Raheem Sterling of England shoots to score his sides 3rd goal in the 62nd minute to make it 3-0 Sterling scored his first England hat-trick against the Czech Republic on Friday night CREDIT: GETTY IMAGES Despite his own relatively tender age, Sterling – just 18 months old when Southgate missed his penalty at Euro ’96 – already has so much to teach Sancho and Callum Hudson-Odoi, both potential game-changers of the Manchester City man’s mould. It is Sterling, battle-hardened from his pre-World Cup critics, that the two potentially spectacular English prospects really look up to. “He is just a great player,” said Sancho. “He showed all the youngsters what it’s about. And I’m sure that he’s going to go far in his career and I’m just happy that I’m sharing a pitch with him.” Sterling deservedly took the headlines for his demolition job on Friday, but Sancho might have otherwise earned a man-of-the-match award, and deserved a goal. He played a key role in creating the opener for Sterling in a 5-0 rout against a bamboozled Czech defence. “Yes, he’s all right, he’s cool,” said Sancho of the advice he and Hudson-Odoi had received from Sterling. “Obviously he speaks to me and Callum about what to do and what not to do. He’s cool.” Sterling grew up watching Wembley being built before pursuing his dreams in the North West. Sancho has gone one step further in his family sacrifices by moving to the Bundesliga. They understand each other. “Because he is from London as well he knows where I’m coming from,” Sancho added. “He’s been helping me a lot. But it’s not just him, it’s everyone else making me and Callum comfortable and making us feel welcome.”