England international Raheem Sterling has insisted that the recent controversy surrounding his gun tattoo has not impacted on his preparations for the World Cup.

The Manchester City forward was hit by a backlash from tabloid newspapers and anti-gun groups when he revealed the M16 assault rifle design on his leg, but the player is adamant that the criticism did not get him down.

"It's obviously bad to see yourself spoken of in that light, but it's not something that gets me down," he told Sky Sports News.

"I've got a World Cup to prepare for. I've had training sessions every day so my mind was already occupied, so that was the least of my worries."

Sterling previously shed light on the context behind his tattoo, revealing that he had it done to remind himself of his vow never to touch a firearm due to the death of his father in a shooting.