“America, Love It” – Named After Shaquille O’Neal, $65 Million Superstar ‘Dreamed’ of MLS Move Considering David Beckham’s Inter Miami While Talking to Megan Rapinoe Back in 2020

Arguably one of the best wingers in soccer these days and named after Shaquille O’Neal, Raheem Sterling was once considering moving to MLS. Back in 2020, when soccer was yet to have its major boom in the USA, Sterling talked about his dream of playing in MLS in a talk with Megan Rapinoe. He was a centerpiece of Manchester City back then. Sterling now is doing his best to keep Chelsea’s season afloat as the team struggles due to constant changes in roster and staff. 

Sterling’s affiliation with MLS came years before the soccer boom in the country. A couple of days back, MLS VP talked about the effect Wayne Rooney and David Beckham had on MLS. David Beckham was the reason Sterling was considering an MLS move. Although, nothing came out of it and he stayed with City for two more seasons before moving to Chelsea.

Sterling discussed MLS with Megan Rapinoe

Back in 2020, Raheem Sterling had a talk with USWNT megastar Megan Rapinoe. In the talk, they discussed soccer and their career among many things. One such discussion was Sterling’s will to someday cross the pond to play soccer in MLS. He discussed what good options could be and what he thought of MLS.

Talking to Megan Rapinoe, Sterling said, “America, love it. Love that country. One day, it is definitely a dream of mine to be there. Obviously, I’m not sure where in the country would be nice, but I’m sure there are a lot of places. Miami might be a shout. How long is the flight from there to Jamaica?“

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The 65 million USD super winger has a deep affiliation with the USA. Apart from his MLS dreams, his middle name tells a deep connection with the USA, especially NBA.

Shaquille O’Neal influenced Sterling’s middle name

In an interview in Feb 2020, Rahim Sterling revealed the story behind his middle name, ‘Shaquille’. As many fans could already understand, the name was a tribute to NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal. Talking about his name, Sterling said, “When my mum was naming me, my grandma tried to name me after Shaquille O’Neal. My grandma lived in America and she wanted to name me after him.”

What are your thoughts on Sterling one day playing in MLS? Do you see it happening? Drop your views in the comments below.

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