Raheem Sterling has given 500 tickets to Saturday’s FA Cup semi-final to students of his old school in London.
Ark Elvin Academy, formerly known as Copeland Community School when Raheem attended, is a 10-minute walk from Wembley Stadium. 500 students from the school will be attending the match versus Brighton and Hove Albion to cheer on City as they aim to reach the final.
10 students from years 7-11, who all play football for the school, came to Manchester with the Head of PE Jubil Kunnassery. They went on a tour of the Etihad Stadium before meeting Raheem, who answered all their questions and took photos with the group.
Raheem Sterling: “I have a close connection to Ark Elvin Academy having attended the school myself when it was Copeland Community School, so it is great to be able to give these students the chance to watch a game at Wembley.
“I grew up right next door to the stadium and would dream of one day playing in a cup final or even representing my country there.
“To now be able to play there myself is an honour and this is a great opportunity to give back to the community that helped me get to where I am.”
Omar Berrada, Chief Operating Officer at Manchester City: “We are very proud to support Raheem as he reaches out to the community he grew up in, by giving FA Cup semi-final tickets to students from his old school.
“We hope all of the children enjoy their day at Wembley and cheering on Manchester City as they play to get to the final.”
Jubil Kunnassery, Head of PE at Ark Elvin Academy: “We would like to say a huge thank you to Manchester City and Raheem Sterling for inviting us to Manchester and taking the time to meet us, answer questions and take pictures.
“All of the students were inspired by his words and we wish Manchester City and Sterling the best of luck for their game against Brighton on Saturday and the rest of the season.”
Mamadou Diallo, Year 10 student at Ark Elvin Academy: “It was an amazing experience going to Manchester City. Meeting Raheem Sterling and having the opportunity to ask him questions not only inspired but also motivated everyone in the room.
“Raheem is someone that’s just like us and went to the same school. We know that if we work hard and follow our passion, we can do anything we want.
See how the kids reacted when they met Raheem in the video above!
