Harry Kane has gone above and beyond the call of duty to reassure his players after Raheem Sterling was burgled.
Captain Kane, 29, spoke to the squad and their loved ones about security after Sterling, 27, flew back to the UK to be with Paige Milian and his children.
Paige, 27, arrived home to their Surrey mansion on Saturday with their sons Thiago, five, Thai Cruz, three, and Raheem’s daughter Melody Rose, 10, to discover hundreds of thousands of pounds of valuables had been stolen.
He left Qatar just hours before England’s 3-0 victory over Senegal booked a World Cup quarter final spot against France on Saturday.
Defender Harry Maguire, 29, slammed the raid – the latest in a string on top footballers while they are playing away.
He said: “It’s extremely disappointing to hear that when we are out here giving absolutely everything for our country, there are people back home targeting us.”
A source said yesterday: “Harry takes his captain’s duties as seriously off the field as on.
“He knows players’ families are really shaken up. It is a huge worry for the players as well.”
FA staff have been in contact with Sterling and Surrey Police.
The team discussed beefing up security back home yesterday.
“Harry knows how worried the players are,” added the source.
“He sees it as his job as skipper to keep morale and focus everyone on the France match. He reassured them. He wants Raheem to take as long as he needs.
The team and the wives and girlfriends were said to be “rallying round” Sterling and his family.
“Things like this are scary,” added the insider. “Nobody wants the children affected.”
The whole squad was briefed on security before the tournament and were also given contact details for local police.
Sources close to Sterling had indicated the intruders were armed and suggested Paige and two children were home at the time of the raid.
But Surrey Police said they were investigating a report of a burglary after the occupants “arrived home from an international trip”.
A spokesman said: “They contacted police just before 9pm to report jewellery, including watches, had been stolen.
“It remains unclear on which date the property was stolen. Establishing this forms a key part of our investigation.”
The Sterling family had been through “a trauma”, according to a worker with the security firm on their exclusive estate.
Locals said they did not know Sterling lived there until news of the raid broke. He is understood to have moved in around a month ago.
A spokesman for Sterling said he will return to the England World Cup camp if he can, but for now “his focus is on being at home and supporting his family”.
