One of England’s most talented footballers has shrugged off a pre-World Cup controversy after being criticised for a tattoo of an assault rifle on his leg.
Raheem Sterling was criticised by anti-gun campaigners for apparently glorifying violent crime with the artwork that was clearly visible when the Manchester City player posted a photograph on Instagram during the team’s final preparations.
The design and the criticisms of Sterling featured on the front page of the best-selling tabloid The Sun, prompting a backlash from supporters of the 23-year-old who said that he was being unfairly picked on.
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Sterling said that the design had deeper meaning and referred to his late father who was shot dead when he was aged two. He said that he had promised never to touch a gun during his life.
He also said that the as yet unfinished tattoo had been inked last year and questioned the timing of the story in the run-up to the World Cup.
Gary Lineker, the former England striker and sports broadcaster, wrote in a Tweet: “Unique to this country to attempt to destroy our players morale before a major tournament. It’s weird, unpatriotic and sad.”
Sterling, who has previously been the subject of front page tabloid reports about his lifestyle, continues to divide opinion among fans despite being popular among teammates for club and country, according to reports.
He said that the episode had not affected his preparations. “It’s not really been that tough,” he told reporters on Monday. “Things happened and get spoken about but I put that to one side.
“It was a normal week to be honest. The only thing that changed was I was in the newspapers a bit more.”
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The Bio
Favourite place in UAE: Al Rams pearling village
What one book should everyone read: Any book written before electricity was invented. When a writer willingly worked under candlelight, you know he/she had a real passion for their craft
Your favourite type of pearl: All of them. No pearl looks the same and each carries its own unique characteristics, like humans
Best time to swim in the sea: When there is enough light to see beneath the surface
Monday's results
- UAE beat Bahrain by 51 runs
- Qatar beat Maldives by 44 runs
- Saudi Arabia beat Kuwait by seven wickets
The five stages of early child’s play
From Dubai-based clinical psychologist Daniella Salazar:
1. Solitary Play: This is where Infants and toddlers start to play on their own without seeming to notice the people around them. This is the beginning of play.
2. Onlooker play: This occurs where the toddler enjoys watching other people play. There doesn’t necessarily need to be any effort to begin play. They are learning how to imitate behaviours from others. This type of play may also appear in children who are more shy and introverted.
3. Parallel Play: This generally starts when children begin playing side-by-side without any interaction. Even though they aren’t physically interacting they are paying attention to each other. This is the beginning of the desire to be with other children.
4. Associative Play: At around age four or five, children become more interested in each other than in toys and begin to interact more. In this stage children start asking questions and talking about the different activities they are engaging in. They realise they have similar goals in play such as building a tower or playing with cars.
5. Social Play: In this stage children are starting to socialise more. They begin to share ideas and follow certain rules in a game. They slowly learn the definition of teamwork. They get to engage in basic social skills and interests begin to lead social interactions.
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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United States
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China
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UAE
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Japan
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Norway
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Canada
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Singapore
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Australia
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Saudi Arabia
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South Korea
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Gothia Cup 2025
4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
