Raheem Sterling’s son will always remember the experience Bukayo SAKA has given him.
Saka’s mascot before the Gunners’ Champions League match with Paris Saint-Germain was Thiago Sterling, 7.
3Bukayo Saka’s mascot was Raheem Sterling’s son Thiago against PSGCredit: Getty
The Three Lions standout performed during the 2-0 triumph.PA: Credit
Before Tuesday’s game, the young lad went with the Three Lions star out onto the Emirates field.
He lined up with the Gunners team for the Champions League song, seven-year-old beaming.
With Saka going on to score the second goal in a comfortable 2-0 win for the hosts, Thiago turned out to be a fortuitous omen.
One ardent Arsenal supporter commented on X: “Incredible gesture from our captain.”
Said another way: “A special moment for Saka and Thiago.”
A third respondent said: “Absolutely love this.”
A fourth hypothesised: “Sterling is doing everything in his power to make this into a permanent transfer.”
Thiago was displaying traits of a chip off the old block already at one year of age.
As a young toddler, Thiago became well-known for his footy abilities during an in-door kickabout with his father.
Currently on loan from parent club Chelsea at Arsenal is Sterling.
The 29-year-old first opened out about his possible life following football last month.
And he does not wish to pursue the conventional path many athletes choose by entering coaching.
“I don’t know about coaching yet, but maybe something to do with working with young players and trying to help them handle what’s next and prepare them for that,” Sterling notes in the Gunners matchday program versus Leicester.
“Helping individuals makes me truly happy. It might not be coaching but rather anything along those lines, working with players, but not maybe as a conventional coach; being any kind of aid to individuals on a football pitch makes me truly happy.”
Sterling loaned from Chelsea joined the Gunners on deadline day.
“I don’t know [about role after retirement] – it’s a way off yet,” he said. That is something for the future.
“Although not on the coaching side, there is a qualification I want to do; I will concentrate on playing first.”