Raheem Sterling is talking about turning points.

When things changed for him, on and off the pitch.

When people got a better understanding of what he is about, not just as a footballer but the personality which has seen him become one of the most important people in Britain.

Sterling is sharp, funny and self-depreciating. He always has been. It is just now that we're seeing what the 24-year-old Manchester City and England forward is really like.

He laughs off the idea of being a role model, even though being called one knows it makes his mother proud.

There is also the turning point of when it changed for him as a player. When he stopped worrying about what people were saying about him and began to realise his full potential.

(Image: Julian Hamilton/Daily Mirror)

“I think it was when City started to buy wingers!” he laughs. “I went back to North West London, I went to see my friend and he said, ‘They’ve just bought Bernardo Silva.’ He was worried for me. And I was like saying, ‘That’s sick, man.’ He was really surprised but I thought, 'It’s good, it’s competition and it brings out the best in me.'

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"That was a massive turning point when the wingers came in to push me. It was a good thing.

“At the time, it was only me and Leroy (Sane) and I just knew that it would push me again to do better because I knew there was someone else there. When you’re in a team, it’s not about ego, it’s about raising your game to help the team.

“People had started to doubt me and I began to doubt myself as well and believe what was being said. It wasn’t about getting my belief back, but I kind of blocked people out. I was like, ‘OK, no problem, I’ll show you.’”

(Image: EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)

Two titles and two League Cups later, Sterling is now eyeing the first domestic Treble in English football history if Manchester City win the FA Cup on Saturday.

But Sterling has also taken his game to another level in those two seasons both for club and country.

And that is at the heart of his personality.

He loves a challenge, changing perceptions and making the very best use of his platform as a footballer.

Now it is not just football fans that look up to him but a whole generation.

He made us all think with an Instagram post about racism, his voice has been heard and next week he will give a talk in New York about the issues. He has also set up his own YouTube channel to give people even more of a flavour of what he is about as he enjoys being different to the average footballer.

(Image: Getty )

“In interviews, you can come across as boring, not wanting to talk. But I try to come across and give as much as I can, so people can see the exact me,” said Sterling. "I’m no different from me talking to you here when I’m talking to my family.

“That’s why I built a YouTube channel as well and give the real insight into the real Raheem. People have judged me on the image of before, and that wasn’t me.

"Sometimes it’s just about football questions and I have to be professional, because I’m talking to John Cross, being on my best behaviour! But on my YouTube channel, it gives an insight into my life. A lot of players nowadays don’t do too much, don’t want to give too much of themselves away, but I think it’s good to give insight because people will take to you more.

(Image: Reuters)

“I don’t want them just to see me as 'Raheem Sterling, plays for Manchester City'. I want them to see Raheem Sterling in full flow, having banter and a laugh. I want them to see if I’ve got good jokes or not.”

But Sterling is still not sure about being a role model.

“People keep saying that,” he said. “I don’t want to say role model because I don’t see myself as one.

"It gives my mum pride, I’ll tell you that.

“I don’t think I’ve changed anything, but I’ve opened up a door for work to be done. That’s what I love about this country. People are always listening, people want to do the right thing and I definitely see it as something that has done positively.

(Image: AFP/Getty)

“I adore this country because the people here are so loving and so willing to listen to try and do things for the better. I’m giving a speech in New York next week… I’m dreading it! No, I’m really looking forward to it, bit nervous, but.…”

Sterling spent much of his childhood growing up in the Wembley area of north-west London and would ride his bike past the national stadium, hearing the noise from the crowd on match-days.

He never went to a game there until the 2007 FA Cup Final between Chelsea and Manchester United, when his school gave out tickets as reward to pupils who were best at sport.

That was his motivation behind buying 550 tickets for his old school for the semi-final against Brighton last month.

(Image: Reuters)

He loves going to the stadium, still visits to see his school-friends - he visited five of his best mates on Tuesday “just to chill and get some food” - and has never lost that connection.

“I was at the final in 2007,” he recalled. “I shouldn’t really say this — not now, definitely not now! — but when I was young I was a massive United fan. I had an old United kit, from when they won the last FA Cup.

"To be in the stadium… it was incredible. It was unbelievable and that was when I tried to give the tickets to the school. That was motivated by that — being so close to the stadium and not going there more than once.

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“If two or three of the kids could be inspired, then that’s all I was trying to do. Purely, that’s how I felt at the time. If there was a kid who had a chance of being a footballer, hopefully that will give them motivation or inspiration to change their dreams.”

Sterling is living out his dreams in his own unique style.