"Simple as that for me" - Rio Ferdinand claims Chelsea's out-of-form star has to start for England at FIFA World Cup
Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand has asserted that out-of-form Chelsea forward Raheem Sterling is a guaranteed starter for England at this month's 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Sterling, 27, opened his Blues stint with four goals and an assist in his first eight games after arriving from Manchester City for £47.5 million in July. However, he has recently come under fire after failing to score in his subsequent eight matches for his new club.
Speaking on BBC Radio Five Live (via Mirror), former Chelsea winger Pat Nevin cast doubt on Sterling's FIFA World Cup selection. He added:
"If he keeps playing the way he is right now, he's not even a consideration for the World Cup. He is having a really bad time."
However, Ferdinand jumped to the former Liverpool man's defence after his recent goalscoring performance in his team's 2-1 UEFA Champions League home win over Dinamo Zagreb. Speaking on BT Sport (via Mirror), the six-time Premier League winner said:
"Sterling starts at the World Cup. Forget going, he starts. Simple as that for me. I was delighted for him because I've been hearing some outlandish comments about should he even go to the World Cup for England."
Ferdinand further pointed out how Sterling is impactful in matches, lauding his positional awareness and tenacious attitude. He added:
"But this guy gets into good areas, he doesn't shy away when things aren't going his way, he still always gets himself into positions where he can affect the game and his endeavour is always there, his determination, desire. That's what I love about him."
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Sterling, who has scored 19 goals in 79 international caps, has been goalless in his last five England appearances. However, with the likes of Jack Grealish and Jadon Sancho underperforming for their respective clubs, Sterling is expected to travel to Qatar next month.
Ranked fifth in the world, the Three Lions have been drawn in Group B alongside the USA, Wales, and Iran. The first-ever winter FIFA World Cup is set to begin on November 20, with the final on December 18.
Chelsea star set to miss 2022 FIFA World Cup due to recent hamstring injury
Chelsea defender Ben Chilwell is expected to miss the 2022 FIFA World Cup after sustaining a hamstring injury in his team's recent 2-1 UEFA Champions League win over Dinamo Zagreb.
Speaking at a post-match press conference, Blues boss Graham Potter shed light on the England left-back's situation. He said (via Chelsea FC):
"I think you'd have to say there are worries about him being okay for the World Cup. I don't want to add any more than that, but obviously when a player pulls up like he did and he felt it, it's never positive."
So far, Chilwell has scored one goal and laid out two assists in 14 appearances across all competitions in the ongoing 2022-23 season.