Raheem Sterling Pleads Guilty to Dangerous Driving
Raheem Sterling has pleaded guilty to dangerous driving after crashing a Lamborghini on a series of major roads in the south of England.
The former England forward admitted at Basingstoke magistrates court on Tuesday to driving a Lamborghini Urus dangerously on the M25, the M3 and the A327 before a crash on 28 May. He also admitted possessing six nitrous oxide canisters for wrongful inhalation – a class C drug – and failing to provide a specimen.
Sterling, 31, appeared in the Hampshire courtroom wearing a black suit jacket, black trousers, black shoes and a dark top, cutting a very different figure from the one that once lit up international tournaments.
Police had previously confirmed the charges stemmed from a single-vehicle collision on the M3 southbound, near the Minley interchange, on 28 May. No other cars were involved and no injuries were reported, according to Hampshire and Isle of Wight constabulary.
Off-Field Chapter
The case marks a stark off-field chapter in the career of a player who became one of the defining figures of Gareth Southgate’s England. Sterling scored 20 goals in 82 appearances for his country, playing a central role in the run to the 2018 World Cup semi-finals and the final of Euro 2020.
Career Journey
His journey began in the academy at QPR, before a move to Liverpool, where he broke into senior football and quickly established himself as one of the Premier League’s brightest young talents. Manchester City then made their move in 2015, and Sterling went on to collect a haul of major honours at the Etihad: four Premier League titles, five League Cups and the FA Cup in 2019.
The forward left City for Chelsea in 2022, but his time at Stamford Bridge never fully ignited. After slipping down the pecking order, he spent the 2024-25 season on loan at Arsenal, a short spell that underlined how far he had travelled from his peak years in Manchester.
Earlier this year, after his Chelsea contract ended, Sterling joined Feyenoord on a short-term deal until the end of the season. That stint in the Netherlands has now finished, leaving him currently without a club as his legal issues play out.
Reputation and Future
Sterling’s off-pitch reputation had long been shaped by more positive headlines. In the 2021 Queen’s birthday honours he was made an MBE for services to racial equality in sport, recognition for his prominent role in anti-racism and anti-discrimination campaigns and for speaking out forcefully against racism on and off the pitch.
Now, as the legal consequences of his actions on the M25, M3 and A327 await resolution, the question is whether one of England’s most influential modern internationals will find a way back into the game – and on what terms.
