Raheem Sterling has appeared in a new ad for Nike following the football star’s outspoken views on the media and racism in the sport.
The Manchester City and England forward was featured in a social media post on Saturday that is reminiscent of Nike’s ad for Colin Kaepernick in September last year.
The ad, created by Wieden & Kennedy, features Sterling’s face in black and white alongside the words: "Speaking up doesn’t always make life easier. But easy never changed anything."
Speaking up doesn't always make life easier. But easy never changed anything.
— Nike Football (@nikefootball)
Sterling took to Instagram on 9 December to in their reporting of young Premier League footballers.
The footballer, who has also posted the ad on his own Instagram feed, wrote last week: "[F]or all the news papers that don’t understand why people are racist in this day and age all I have to say is have a second thought about fair publicity [and] give all players an equal chance."
He posted the comments alongside two pictures of MailOnline stories – one about a young black footballer who bought a house for his mother "despite having never started a Premier League match" and one of a young white footballer who simply "buys new £2m home for his mum".
Sterling’s comments came a day after he was allegedly racially abused during Manchester City’s match against Chelsea in London.
The work is similar in style to the ad starring Kaeparnick, a former NFL player who controversially kneeled during the pre-match national anthem to highlight police violence against African American people.
Following the Kaepernick post, Nike also produced a two-minute film, created by Wieden & Kennedy, that features more high-profile African American sports stars such as Serena Williams and LeBron James.
Believe in something, even if it means sacrificing everything.
— Colin Kaepernick (@Kaepernick7)
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