Daniel Sturridge facts for kids
Sturridge with the parade that followed Liverpool's victory in the 2019 UEFA Champions League final
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Daniel Andre Sturridge | ||
| Date of birth | 1 September 1989 | ||
| Place of birth | Birmingham, England | ||
| Height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | ||
| Position(s) | Striker | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1995–1996 | Cadbury Athletic | ||
| 1996–2002 | Aston Villa | ||
| 2002–2003 | Coventry City | ||
| 2003–2006 | Manchester City | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2006–2009 | Manchester City | 21 | (5) |
| 2009–2013 | Chelsea | 63 | (13) |
| 2011 | → Bolton Wanderers (loan) | 12 | (8) |
| 2013–2019 | Liverpool | 116 | (50) |
| 2018 | → West Bromwich Albion (loan) | 6 | (0) |
| 2019–2020 | Trabzonspor | 11 | (4) |
| 2021–2022 | Perth Glory | 6 | (0) |
| Total | 235 | (80) | |
| International career | |||
| 2004–2005 | England U16 | 5 | (6) |
| 2005–2006 | England U17 | 9 | (7) |
| 2007 | England U18 | 1 | (2) |
| 2008 | England U19 | 3 | (1) |
| 2009 | England U20 | 1 | (1) |
| 2009–2011 | England U21 | 15 | (4) |
| 2011–2017 | England | 26 | (8) |
| 2012 | Great Britain Olympic | 5 | (2) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Daniel Andre Sturridge Johnson (born on 1 September 1989) is a former professional footballer from England. He played as a striker, which means he was usually the main goal scorer for his team. Since 2023, Daniel has been working as a television pundit for Sky Sports, sharing his football knowledge.
Sturridge started his football journey at Aston Villa's youth academy. He later moved to Coventry City in 2002 and then joined Manchester City in 2003. He made his first-team debut for Manchester City in the 2007–08 season. He was the only player to score in the FA Youth Cup, FA Cup, and Premier League in the same season.
In 2009, he joined Chelsea. During his time there, he was loaned to Bolton Wanderers for a successful period, scoring eight goals in 12 games. After returning to Chelsea, he helped the team win the FA Cup and the UEFA Champions League.
Daniel moved to Liverpool in January 2013. There, he formed a strong attacking partnership with Luis Suárez. In the 2013–14 Premier League season, Liverpool scored over 100 goals, with Sturridge contributing 21 of them. He faced some injury challenges in the following seasons. However, he scored in the 2016 UEFA Europa League final and was part of the squad that won the UEFA Champions League in 2019. After Liverpool, he played for Trabzonspor in Turkey and Perth Glory in Australia.
Sturridge also played for England at many different levels, from under-16 to the senior team. He made his debut for the senior team in 2011. He was chosen to play in the 2014 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 2016. He also represented Great Britain at the 2012 Summer Olympics.
Contents
Early Life and Family Football Connections
Daniel Andre Sturridge was born on 1 September 1989 in Birmingham, England. Football runs in his family! His father, Mike Sturridge, was a former footballer. His uncles, Dean Sturridge and Simon Sturridge, also played professional football. When he was younger, Daniel supported Derby County because his uncle Dean played for them. After Dean left, Daniel started supporting Arsenal.
Club Career Highlights
Starting Out in Youth Football
Daniel Sturridge began his football journey at just seven years old with a local club called Cadbury Athletic. Soon after, he was spotted by Aston Villa and joined their youth academy. In 2002, he moved to Coventry City.
In 2003, Daniel joined Manchester City's Academy. The next year, he was the top scorer and best player at the Nike Cup, a big tournament for young players. At 16, he played for Manchester City's youth team in the 2006 FA Youth Cup. He scored six goals in that competition, including two in the final, but Liverpool won the trophy. That summer, he signed his first professional contract when he turned 17.
Playing for Manchester City
Daniel started training with Manchester City's main team in the 2006–07 season. He made his first team debut in February 2007. He scored his first goal for City in an FA Cup match in January 2008. A few days later, he scored his first league goal in his first full start against Derby County.
Even though he played for the first team, Daniel also continued to play for the youth team in the FA Youth Cup. Manchester City reached the final again, and Daniel was the top scorer in the competition. This time, City won the final! In the 2007–08 season, Daniel became the only player ever to score in the Youth FA Cup, the FA Cup, and the Premier League all in the same season. At the end of the 2008–09 season, he was named the club's Young Player of the Year.
Time at Chelsea
After his contract with Manchester City ended, Daniel Sturridge signed with Chelsea in July 2009. He made his Premier League debut for Chelsea in August 2009. In January 2010, he scored his first two goals for Chelsea in an FA Cup match against Watford. He continued to score in the FA Cup, becoming Chelsea's top scorer in that competition for the 2009–10 season. He also helped Chelsea win the 2010 FA Cup final.
In September 2010, Daniel made his first full UEFA Champions League appearance and scored his first goal in that competition. In January 2011, he joined Bolton Wanderers on a loan deal. He had a fantastic time there, scoring in his first four matches for the club. He ended his loan spell with eight goals in just 12 games.
After his successful loan, Daniel returned to Chelsea for the 2011–12 season. He scored many important goals, including two against his former club Bolton. He continued his great form, scoring his seventh Premier League goal of the season against Newcastle. He was an unused substitute when Chelsea won the 2012 UEFA Champions League final, a huge achievement for the club.
For the 2012–13 season, Daniel missed some early games because he was playing for Great Britain in the 2012 Summer Olympics. He scored his last Premier League goal for Chelsea in a 4–2 win against Tottenham. His final goal for Chelsea was in the League Cup against Manchester United.
Joining Liverpool
On 2 January 2013, Daniel Sturridge moved from Chelsea to Liverpool. He scored on his debut in the FA Cup after just seven minutes! He also scored in his league debut against Manchester United. He became the first Liverpool player since 1974 to score three goals in his first three appearances for the club.
In February, he scored a great goal from 25 yards against his old club Manchester City. He also scored against Chelsea in a 2–2 draw. In April, he scored two goals and assisted another in a big 6–0 win over Newcastle United. On 12 May, he scored his first ever hat-trick (three goals in one game) against Fulham.
Amazing 2013–14 Season
Daniel started the 2013–14 season by scoring the first goal of the season for Liverpool in a 1–0 win over Stoke City. He continued his excellent form, scoring against Aston Villa and two goals in the League Cup. He scored the only goal in a 1–0 win against Manchester United on his 24th birthday. These great performances earned him the first Premier League Player of the Month award for August.
His goal-scoring continued into the new year. He became the first Liverpool player in the Premier League era to score in seven games in a row. He then became only the second player in Premier League history to score in eight matches in a row! He was named Player of the Month again for February.
Daniel was nominated for the PFA Players' Player of the Year award and the PFA Young Player of the Year award. He was also named in the PFA Team of the Year. He finished as the second-highest scorer in the Premier League with 21 goals, just behind his teammate Luis Suárez.
Battling Injuries (2014–2018)
The 2014–15 season started well with a late winning goal against Southampton. However, Daniel then faced a series of injuries, including a thigh injury and a calf strain. He missed almost five months of playing time. He returned in January 2015, scoring against West Ham. More injuries followed, and he had hip surgery in May, which kept him out until September.
He missed the first five games of the 2015–16 season due to injury. He scored his first two goals of the season in a 3–2 win against Aston Villa. More injuries kept him out for periods. However, he scored two goals in a League Cup quarter-final against Southampton. He also scored his first Europa League goal for Liverpool against rivals Manchester United. On 20 April, he scored his 50th goal for Liverpool, reaching this milestone in just 87 games. He scored the opening goal in the 2016 UEFA Europa League final, though Liverpool lost the match. He finished the season as Liverpool's top scorer with 13 goals.
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In the 2016–17 season, Daniel often came on as a substitute in league matches. He scored two goals in an EFL Cup match against Burton Albion. He also scored two goals against Tottenham in the EFL Cup. He scored his first league goal of the season against Stoke in December.
In the 2017–18 season, he scored against Arsenal, Huddersfield Town, and Maribor in the Champions League. In January 2018, he joined West Bromwich Albion on loan. Unfortunately, he suffered a hamstring injury early in his time there.
Winning the Champions League (2018–19)
Back at Liverpool for the 2018–19 season, Daniel scored with his first touch in a 4–0 win over West Ham United. He scored the opening goal in a 3–2 Champions League win against Paris Saint-Germain. He also scored against his former club Chelsea in the EFL Cup. A few days later, he scored a fantastic equalizing goal from 25 yards against Chelsea in the league, which was voted the Premier League Goal of the Month for September.
Even though he didn't play in the 2019 UEFA Champions League final against Tottenham Hotspur, Daniel received his second Champions League winner's medal. He became the first Englishman to win the competition with two different English clubs (Chelsea and Liverpool). In June 2019, he left Liverpool.
Later in 2019, Daniel was banned from football for six weeks for breaking rules about betting.
Later Career Abroad
Daniel signed with Turkish club Trabzonspor in August 2019. He scored seven goals in 16 games before leaving the club in March 2020. On the same day, he received a four-month worldwide ban for breaking betting rules.
In October 2021, Daniel signed with Australian club Perth Glory. The club's chairman said it was one of the biggest signings in A-League history. Daniel made his debut for Perth Glory in November 2021. However, he struggled with injuries and fitness during his time there. In February 2022, he suffered a groin injury. He was released by the club in June, having played only six games and not scoring any goals.
International Career for England
Youth Teams
Daniel Sturridge played for England at many youth levels, including under-16, under-17, under-18, under-19, under-20, and under-21 teams. He scored important goals for these teams, including two against the Netherlands for the under-18 team.
He was part of the England under-21 squad for the 2011 UEFA European Under-21 Championship. Even though England was knocked out early, Daniel was chosen for the "Team of the Tournament" because of his great performances.
Senior England Team
On 6 November 2011, Daniel was called up to the senior England squad for friendly matches against Spain and Sweden. He made his debut against Sweden, coming on as a substitute. He also played against the Netherlands and was named "man of the match" for his efforts.
He scored his first senior goal for England in his fifth match on 22 March 2013, in a big 8–0 win against San Marino. This goal meant he had scored for England at every level, from U16 all the way to the senior team, and also for the Great Britain Olympic team. He scored another goal in October 2013 against Montenegro. In March 2014, he scored a late winning goal against Denmark.
In July 2012, Daniel was chosen for the Great Britain Olympic football team for the 2012 Summer Olympics. He scored his first goal for Great Britain in a 3–1 win over the United Arab Emirates. He also scored the only goal in a win against Uruguay, helping Great Britain top their group. In the quarter-final against South Korea, Daniel missed a penalty in the shootout, and Great Britain was knocked out.
In May 2014, Daniel was named in England's squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. He scored England's opening goal in a 3–0 friendly win over Peru. On 14 June, he scored England's goal in their first World Cup match, a 2–1 defeat by Italy.
Even though injuries kept him out of most of the qualifying games for UEFA Euro 2016, Daniel was still picked for England's squad for the finals. In the team's second group match against Wales, he came on as a substitute and helped set up Jamie Vardy's goal. Then, he scored the winning goal himself, helping England come back from being 1–0 down to win 2–1.
How Daniel Sturridge Played
Former Chelsea manager André Villas-Boas once said that Daniel was "extremely quick" and had "technique at pace."
Daniel himself said he preferred to play as a centre-forward (a main striker) rather than a winger (a player who plays wide on the field). He compared himself to famous striker Thierry Henry, who also started wide before becoming a central striker.
When Daniel joined Liverpool, manager Brendan Rodgers often played him as a striker. Daniel was good at dropping back between defenders and moving wide to attack, similar to his former teammate Luis Suárez. Rodgers called him a "nine-and-a-half," meaning he was a mix between a traditional striker (number 9) and a creative attacking midfielder (number 10).
Personal Life and Charity Work
Daniel Sturridge is a Christian. He is also very involved in charity work, especially helping young people get into football. In November 2012, he gave a large donation on behalf of Hyundai to Street League, a charity that helps disadvantaged players. In June 2013, he gave another donation to Street League in Liverpool. Later that month, he opened his own charity foundation in Portmore, Jamaica. Its goal is to help young people there get involved in sports and entertainment. Daniel is of Jamaican descent, as all of his grandparents are Jamaican. He also owns a record company called Sturr Class Entertainment.
Career Statistics
Club
| Club | Season | League | National Cup | League Cup | Europe | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Manchester City | 2006–07 | Premier League | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 2 | 0 | ||
| 2007–08 | Premier League | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 4 | 2 | |||
| 2008–09 | Premier League | 16 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 0 | — | 26 | 4 | ||
| Total | 21 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 0 | — | 32 | 6 | |||
| Chelsea | 2009–10 | Premier League | 13 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 5 |
| 2010–11 | Premier League | 13 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 21 | 4 | |
| 2011–12 | Premier League | 30 | 11 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 0 | — | 43 | 13 | ||
| 2012–13 | Premier League | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 12 | 2 | |
| Total | 63 | 13 | 9 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 17 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 96 | 24 | ||
| Bolton Wanderers (loan) | 2010–11 | Premier League | 12 | 8 | — | — | — | — | 12 | 8 | ||||
| Liverpool | 2012–13 | Premier League | 14 | 10 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | 16 | 11 | |||
| 2013–14 | Premier League | 29 | 21 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | — | — | 33 | 24 | |||
| 2014–15 | Premier League | 12 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 18 | 5 | ||
| 2015–16 | Premier League | 14 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 3 | — | 25 | 13 | ||
| 2016–17 | Premier League | 20 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 4 | — | — | 27 | 7 | |||
| 2017–18 | Premier League | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | — | 14 | 3 | ||
| 2018–19 | Premier League | 18 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 1 | — | 27 | 4 | ||
| Total | 116 | 50 | 13 | 3 | 9 | 9 | 22 | 5 | — | 160 | 67 | |||
| West Bromwich Albion (loan) | 2017–18 | Premier League | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 6 | 0 | |||
| Trabzonspor | 2019–20 | Süper Lig | 11 | 4 | 3 | 3 | — | 2 | 0 | — | 16 | 7 | ||
| Perth Glory | 2021–22 | A-League Men | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 6 | 0 | |||
| Career total | 235 | 80 | 27 | 14 | 15 | 11 | 49 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 328 | 112 | ||
International
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| England | 2011 | 1 | 0 |
| 2012 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2013 | 5 | 2 | |
| 2014 | 7 | 3 | |
| 2015 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2016 | 9 | 3 | |
| 2017 | 1 | 0 | |
| Total | 26 | 8 | |
- England score listed first, score column indicates score after each Sturridge goal
| No. | Date | Venue | Cap | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 22 March 2013 | Stadio Olimpico di San Marino, Serravalle, San Marino | 5 |  San Marino |
7–0 | 8–0 | 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification | |
| 2 | 11 October 2013 | Wembley Stadium, London, England | 7 |  Montenegro |
4–1 | 4–1 | 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification | |
| 3 | 5 March 2014 | Wembley Stadium, London, England | 10 |  Denmark |
1–0 | 1–0 | Friendly | |
| 4 | 30 May 2014 | Wembley Stadium, London, England | 11 |  Peru |
1–0 | 3–0 | Friendly | |
| 5 | 14 June 2014 | Arena da Amazônia, Manaus, Brazil | 13 |  Italy |
1–1 | 1–2 | 2014 FIFA World Cup | |
| 6 | 16 June 2016 | Stade Bollaert-Delelis, Lens, France | 19 |  Wales |
2–1 | 2–1 | UEFA Euro 2016 | |
| 7 | 8 October 2016 | Wembley Stadium, London, England | 23 |  Malta |
1–0 | 2–0 | 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification | |
| 8 | 11 November 2016 | Wembley Stadium, London, England | 25 |  Scotland |
1–0 | 3–0 | 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification |
Honours and Awards
Chelsea
- Premier League: 2009–10
- FA Cup: 2009–10, 2011–12
- UEFA Champions League: 2011–12
Liverpool
- Football League Cup runner-up: 2015–16
- UEFA Champions League: 2018–19
- UEFA Europa League runner-up: 2015–16
Individual Awards
- PFA Team of the Year: 2013–14 Premier League
- UEFA European Under-21 Championship Team of the Tournament: 2011
- Premier League Player of the Month: August 2013, February 2014
- Premier League Goal of the Month: September 2018
See also
In Spanish: Daniel Sturridge para niños
