DOHA — England’s striker Raheem Sterling returned to the country after armed robbers broke into his family home in the UK.

Sterling left Qatar to support his family after the incident.

Minutes before the start of a last-16 game against Senegal, it was announced that Sterling, one of manager Gareth Southgate's most trusted players, would not play.

Southgate confirmed the incident, saying: "Sometimes football isn't the most important thing and family should come first."

He said he is unsure whether he will return to the tournament. "I really don't know, it's a situation he needs time to deal with, I don't want to put any pressure on him. We want to give him that space and we will see over the next few days how that develops."

After the armed robbery of Sterling's high-security mansion, police teams patrolled around the house until late Sunday, reports showed.

While the spouses and children of many players were in Qatar due to the tournament, Sterling's wife Paige Milian was at home during the robbery on Saturday. — Agencies