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| Man City's Raheem Sterling insists he is now totally focused and dedicated to his football career |
RAHEEM STERLING is trying to emulate the total dedication of superstars like Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi in a bid to fulfil his huge potential.
England international Sterling was criticised for some party-animal antics during his spell with Liverpool.
But he insists since his £49million summer move to Manchester City he is now totally focused on football.
That was underlined by a 21st birthday spent playing a starring role as City came from behind to beat Borussia Monchengladbach and top their Champions League group.
After scoring twice and having a hand in the two other goals, Sterling went home to his partner and two children rather than heading for the bright lights.
"I look at the biggest players in the world and try to see what they've all got," he said. "Definitely Messi and Ronaldo. They basically just set their life to play football. I know that's obvious - they should - but they just take it so seriously.
"They've got massive self-belief and know they're the best players in the world. That's what makes them unique and so special.
"I don't like to compare myself with people but I try to learn as much as I can from everyone around me.
"I push myself really hard. I sometimes criticise myself a bit too much because I know where I want to be. That's no different if I score or I don't score.
"It's because I know what I'm capable of. To put it on the world stage is the most important thing now, showing people that I can play regularly and consistently, scoring goals and helping my team win matches.
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| Sterling praised Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi for their total dedication to the game |
"I'm a different person now to two or three years ago, especially in terms of my self-belief. I just take everything I hear in one ear and put it through the other. I concentrate on my football and that's all that matters.
"I just need to keep working hard at what I know I can do and it will all fall into place. When it does it'll be a great moment."
Sterling described his two-goal performance on Tuesday as "the best moment of his career" and believes it could prove the springboard for City to make a belated impact on the Champions League, especially as they will now avoid Barcelona, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich in the last 16.
He added: "If we can get through the next round anything is possible. Let's hopefully get a good draw and go from there. We're definitely a force to be reckoned with. I don't doubt us against any team. I'll take on any team with the players we've got here fully fit and firing."
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