Raheem Sterling is acting as an inspiration to Jadon Sancho and England s next generation of stars.
Manchester City forward Sterling continued his scintillating recent form with a hat-trick for Gareth Southgate s side against the Czech Republic on Friday, also winning a penalty that was converted by captain Harry Kane in a 5-0 Euro 2020 qualification rout.
Sancho was handed a full competitive debut and responded by laying on Sterling s 24th-minute breakthrough goal amid an eye-catching display.
The teenager, who turns 19 when England face Montenegro on Monday, has been a revelation in the Bundesliga this season for Borussia Dortmund.
Despite turning his back on a professional deal with City in 2017, Sancho and Sterling remain close.
Southgate revealed Sterling had been added to the leadership group in his England squad and a role as mentor to the likes of Sancho and Callum Hudson-Odoi the Chelsea winger who made his debut from the bench in the Czech game appears to come naturally to the 24-year-old.
He is a great player; he is showing all the youngsters what it s about and I am sure that he is going to go far in his career, Sancho said. I m just happy I m sharing a pitch with him.
His numbers are crazy this year, I m just happy for him.
He s cool, he speaks to me and Callum about what to do and what not to do and he gives us advice.
It s very good, especially as he is from London as well. He knows the background I ve come from.
He s been helping me a lot, but it s not just him. Everyone has made me and Callum comfortable and made us feel welcome.
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— Harry Maguire (@HarryMaguire93)
Although Sancho joked his assist to set in motion Sterling s treble laid on an easy goal I think anyone would have been able to score , he felt there was room for improvement in his overall display after an injury to Manchester United s Marcus Rashford opened up a spot in the England front three.
I think it could have gone better, my one-v-ones weren t sharp, but I am just happy that I m on the pitch and starting my first competitive game, and happy to assist the first goal, he said.
I ve got a lot of improvements to make on the pitch and in the next game against Montenegro, if I get the chance, I am sure I ll do better.
City manager Pep Guardiola, who has overseen Sterling s rapid development into an indispensable star for club and country, last week claimed Sancho didn t want the challenge of winning a place in a talent-stacked first-team squad at the Etihad Stadium.
When this was put to the England youngster, he was in no mood to be drawn into a war of words.
I didn t read that. That s his opinion, I am just happy at Borussia Dortmund at the moment and I am just happy that I am playing, Sancho added.
