Whatever fans may think of Raheem Sterling's peculiar running style, one can't argue it hasn't delivered results.
The Chelsea winger won four Premier League titles, one FA Cup and five League Cup crowns before leaving Manchester City for Stamford Bridge last year. Not only that, but Sterling has scored 20 times in 82 appearances for England and was almost omnipresent for Gareth Southgate's side as they finished as runners-up at Euro 2020.
But even all that isn't enough to soften the blow of a child's sharp wit – or an entire classroom of kids, for that matter. And despite being well beyond his school days, that couldn't prevent him coming in for critiquing over his gait in the latest Clarks ad campaign.
To help promote the shoe brand's Back to School promotion, Sterling rocked up ready to inspire a new generation of stars. However, the 28-year-old is instead shown up by the young'uns when a dribbling demonstration goes awry.
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Sterling takes his turn navigating the ball between cones at electric pace in his Clarks shoes, dazzling the starstruck P.E. teacher who chaperones him around school. But his confidence takes a knock when he tells the children to show him their best effort – taking his inspiration a little too literally.
The spree of sprogs proceed to run up and down the gymnasium with their arms wagging wildly in a mock tribute to the former Liverpool man. Sterling can only look on with a face of disbelief and mutters 'Oh, wow' at the homage.
The Three Lions veteran has been a brand ambassador for Clarks since last year and has even designed his own boot collection inspired by his birth place in Kingston, Jamaica.
Which footballer has the weirdest running style in the sport? Let us know in the comments section below.
This latest ad features the kind of dry wit one would expect from hit shows like The Office or People Just Do Nothing, with Sterling at the centre in a starring role. The end result is a hilariously self-deprecating display from Sterling, who receives an arm around the shoulder as he leaves the school grounds and is consoled by a teacher telling him 'kids just do silly things'.
“This project was something special," said Carly Cussen, creative director at Playmaker Films, the company behind the campaign. "Clarks are an institution in this country and the challenge here was crafting something that spoke to a new generation of parents with authenticity, wit and freshness.
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"We took a calculated risk casting real schoolkids and real teachers – but the performances were just fabulous. The result is a suite of Social first films with huge entertainment value and a really distinctive flavour for the brand."
Sterling has started both of Chelsea's first two Premier League outings under Mauricio Pochettino this season, opening with a 1-1 draw at home to Liverpool before losing 3-1 at West Ham in a major upset. The England regular has struggled to have the same impact since leaving City for west London last year, though his signature style of running remains consistent.
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