England striker Daniel Sturridge has described teammate Raheem Sterling as "one of the most talented players in the world".
The 21-year-old Manchester City winger came under criticism following his performances in the Euro 2016 group stages, missing numerous chances as the Three Lions reached the last 16.
Sturridge, however, stuck up for his former Liverpool teammate, telling BBC Sport: "It is just a matter of time before you see him take his game to the next level and I am sure that will be very soon.
"He doesn't worry too much about what people say. He has to worry about his game and that is it. That is all he ever does. He works so hard on the training field and is one of the most talented players in the world.
"We look at players playing for so many different countries but you can't name many 21-year-olds who have played as many first-team games at the highest level as Raheem has."
England are preparing to face Iceland in Nice on Monday night.
