RAHEEM STERLING

My mum was working as a cleaner at some hotels to make extra money so she could pay for her degree. I'll never forget waking up at five in the morning before school and helping her clean the toilets at the hotel in Stonebridge.

I'm trying to make the box, trying to be more ruthless, more clinical, and trying to decide games.

My mum thinks she knows her football. She'll certainly tell me when I'm not doing something right. At other times, she'll say I'm not listening to her. There's been a few clashes with her.

I just want to take the time to think about what I've achieved in my career so far, where I need to go, and what I need to do to get better as a player.

I've learned how to deal with pressure more. I'm still trying to achieve more in my game and add more to it. I feel like I'm still learning every day, and I want to keep on improving.

One of my friends, Bruno Andrade, was so quick, he just used to knock the ball past whoever he was playing against, and I thought, 'Why can't I do that?' Until then, I would try to dribble and maybe try a stepover, but Andre would just knock it then - beep, beep - and he was so fast, he would get there first.

I put a lot of pressure on myself to do well and score more, and it will be a matter of time. Once you get back into that rhythm, you will start getting balls that drop to you in positions where it wasn't before. I do have that feeling that it is going to come soon.

It's something I've always wanted to do: wear the number 10 for England.

I am not saying I don't think I'm good, but I'm not the type of player to have an ego or big myself up.

If you grew up the same way I grew up, don't listen to what certain tabloids want to tell you. They just want to steal your joy. They just want to pull you down.

Obviously, it's disappointing when you put on a shirt and get negative feedback, but at the same time, it's what the fans want to see; they want to see you perform well.

A few years ago, I would let it get to me. But now, as long as my mum and my sister and my kids don't have any stress, I'm good.

Sometimes you can get sloppy and control the ball right at your feet, and that gives the defenders a chance.

I would never want the fans to think bad of me, to think I just want as much money for myself.

I've got a massive opportunity here with a great bunch of players to represent England at a World Cup; that's my biggest focus now.

When I got the ball in the reserves, within two touches I would turn and look to attack my opponent, whereas in the first team, I was trying for the safer option. I needed to go back to basics. I needed to get defenders on the back foot again.

There's a perception in certain parts of the media that I love 'bling.' I love diamonds. I love to show off. I really don't understand where that comes from.

I had a rough year, my first year at Man City, a big club for a big transfer fee. There was a lot of talk, a lot of pressure, and I didn't think I was being spoken about in a fair manner.

England is still a place where a naughty boy who comes from nothing can live his dream.

I'm still short now, but when I was 14, I was like a pencil. You had to be aggressive and hold your own.

As a young boy - I was 20-21, around that age - I didn't think I was being treated right. It can affect anyone, not just me. It was about how I bounced back, how I had to think and sit down and try to move on. Not let that defeat me.

That's the one thing I don't like hearing, when someone says, 'We'll see what happens, see what happens here, see what happens there.' Forget all of that.

Every player wants to win the World Cup - every country wants to win the World Cup - so anything less than that is not really a bonus. Of course you can take positives out of everything, but you won't be entirely happy if you don't win it.

I still remember not scoring against United. You always want to score in the big games.

If you don't score, what happens? You sulk on the bus the whole way back.