Sterling: "I'm not really fussed about having this million and that million. What will make me happy is seeing I am able to help. Even if it's five people, even if it's one, at least I have helped someone come out of their bubble and experienced that there is something better to England."
Sunday 25 October 2020 08:37, UK
Manchester City and England forward Raheem Sterling will launch a foundation aimed at helping disadvantaged young people which will include providing university scholarships and work placements.
The 25-year-old said he wanted to create something "humongous" for the people he was helping with the organisation which would focus on social mobility.
The England international's charitable body would help those supported by Marcus Rashford and his food poverty activism.
Sterling recently also spoke out about the issue of online abuse, and questioned the will of social media companies to tackle the amount of hateful messages footballers received.
Speaking to the Sunday Times magazine, Sterling said: "That's me finished with the 'what can happen, what should happen'. Now I'm trying to put into place stuff I can do myself.
"Stuff to give young people in the same circumstances I was in another shot. If there is a university they want to go to, football equipment they need, other things. I want to be a helping hand.
"I'm not really fussed about having this million and that million. What will make me happy is seeing I am able to help. Even if it's five people, even if it's one, at least I have helped someone come out of their bubble and experienced that there is something better to England."
The Sunday Times reported Sterling was still working on the finer details of the foundation, but that his contribution was likely to be seven figures and he has asked his club and his main sponsors to match his financial commitment.
He said: "It comes down to, OK, I come from northwest London, I move out of my area - what good is it if I take all I have made in life, my success and just build a big house somewhere? I'm happy, cool, but that's not who I am."
Juan Mata has encouraged more footballers to follow Marcus Rashford's lead and use their status to make a difference in their communities.
The Manchester United midfielder was a special guest on this week's Pitch to Post Preview podcast and spoke of his pride for what his young team-mate Rashford is doing away from the pitch.
Rashford has been making headlines away from football by campaigning for free school meals for children over the holidays and Mata said: "It's important for every player to realise the platform that we have, the message that we can get across and the amount of people that we can help,".
Listen to the Sky Sports Pitch to Post Preview Podcast on: Spotify | Apple | Castbox
