Raheem Sterling is still a hero in Brent despite missing out on the BBC Sports Personality of the Year prize.

Tennis star Emma Raducanu was crowned the winner of the annual event last night (Sunday, December 20) as the Manchester City and England winner did not finish in the top three.

Speaking at the ceremony, England manager, Gareth Southgate praised Sterling’s performance in the Euro finals at Wembley this summer: "He had that sense of destiny being at Wembley so close to where he had been born, that hunger to show people what he can do."

Sterling is a vocal anti-racism activist and last month launched the ‘Raheem Sterling Foundation’, a charity foundation that aims to improve social mobility for disadvantaged young people.

Sterling was not able to attend the BBC event in Salford but spoke to presenter Gary Lineker from Newcastle United’s stadium - where his team had been playing.

He said of the England team: “The environment that we have within the national team at the moment, each tournament we get better. The World Cup will be no different.”