In a deeply personal interview with former England footballer Gary Neville, Everton midfielder Dele Alli has revealed that he was a victim of sexual abuse at the age of six. Alli shared his emotional journey, opening up about the abuse he experienced as a child before being adopted at the age of 12.
During the interview, Alli disclosed that he was "molested" at the tender age of six and faced a series of challenges thereafter. He admitted he started smoking at seven and that was dealing drugs by the age of 8.
At 27 years old, Alli recently sought help by spending six weeks in rehab to address a sleeping pill addiction and cope with mental health issues.
"I decided to go to a modern-day rehab facility for mental health. They deal with addiction, mental health and trauma. I felt like it was time for me. With things like that, you can't be told to go there. You have to know and make the decision yourself or it's not going to work. I was caught in a bad cycle. I was relying on things that were doing me harm."
Recognized as one of football's most promising young talents, Alli played a significant role in England's journey to the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup and Tottenham's appearance in the 2019 Champions League final.
However, his career trajectory took a downturn, leading to his departure from Tottenham to join Everton in February 2022. He subsequently embarked on a loan spell with Turkish club Besiktas during the previous season.
Having earned 37 caps for England, with his last appearance in 2019, Alli returned to Everton at the conclusion of the previous season due to injury concerns.
Also read: FC Barcelona sign Brazilian wonderkid Vitor Roque from Athletico Paranaense