Euro 2020: Couple who looked after Raheem Sterling share their pride

Raheem Sterling last met up with Peter and Sandra Reeves in Christmas 2019

The couple who looked after Raheem Sterling when he joined Liverpool have said they are "proud" of the England star ahead of the Euro 2020 final.

The Three Lions forward lived with Peter and Sandra Reeves for three years after moving from his London home to join the club's academy when he was 15.

Mr Reeves said: "I think he was quite glad of the peace and quiet and being able to get on with what he had to do."

Sterling has scored three goals for England during Euro 2020.

Mrs Reeves believes Liverpool were "very lucky" to sign him in 2010.

In an article published before the 2018 World Cup, Sterling recalled the couple "really treated me like their own grandson".

He said: "Every morning, I'd come down, and they'd have a bacon butty waiting for me."

"It was unbelievable. Beautiful garden out back. All these flowers, trees. It was like a different world."

Mr Reeves said: "When he came, he was very quiet, he was only a 15-year-old lad."

Raheem Sterling celebrated with his son after England beat Germany

The couple hosted Sterling with another Liverpool trainee and said the boys made good friends and walked to the local school together before being taken to the club's academy in the afternoons.

The long days paid off when Sterling made his Liverpool debut against Wigan as a 17-year-old in 2012.

"Raheem's always been focused but when he came, he had a plan, he knew where he was going. The club knew he was brilliant and they were desperate to get him," Mrs Reeves said.

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Sterling left Liverpool for Manchester City in a club-record transfer in 2015 and will hope to star again for England in their first European Championship final on Sunday evening.

The couple still remain in touch with the forward, who was awarded an MBE for his services to racial equality in sport before the tournament, and exchanged text messages as he travelled to the Wembley semi-final on Wednesday.

Mrs Reeves said: "He is such a level-headed lad and we're so pleased he got the MBE.

"He's got an absolutely lovely family so everybody should be really proud because he tries to do his best."