Sterling picks England over Jamaica

London: Liverpool`s teenage winger, Jamaican-born Raheem Sterling, has pledged his international football future to England, despite still being eligible for his place of birth.

The 18-year-old, who recently signed a five-year contract extension with the English club, won his first senior England cap last month in the 2-4 friendly defeat to Sweden, reports CMC. He could still have opted to play for Jamaica, where he lived until he was six, and the country`s FA have continued to court the player. "I`ve got Jamaican roots but no-one tried to put any pressure on me," said Sterling, who has represented England at every level from under-16 upwards. "I couldn`t turn my back on England because I`ve grown up through the English youth system and progressed from there. I want to keep driving on and do a bit more." Sterling`s decision, though hardly a surprise, will be a blow to Jamaica, whose football chief Horace Burrell held talks with the player in October. "I couldn`t just switch over," said Sterling, currently a Liverpool regular under Brendan Rodgers and a firm fan favourite at Anfield. "So it was a good thing for me to be called up and make my debut. It`s 100 percent going to be England from now on." Sterling`s elevation from the fringes of the Liverpool first-team squad under Kenny Dalglish (Liverpool`s former manager) last season was rewarded with a lucrative new deal last week. IANS