Midfielder Dele Alli gave an interview to former player Gary Neville, from the podcast The Overturn, about some of the problems he went through as a child. The Everton athlete revealed that he was sexually abused, started smoking and dealing drugs in his childhood.
“At the age of six, I was molested by a friend of my mother’s who stayed home a lot,” he said.
“At the age of seven I started smoking, at eight I started dealing drugs. An older person told me that they didn’t stop children on bicycles, so I walked with my soccer ball, and down there I had the drug”.
It was only at the age of 12 that Dele met his adoptive family, since he had not had much contact with his father before and his mother suffered from alcoholism. Born in Milton Keynes, the player went to Tottenham in 2015, where he had the best phase of his career and even played in a World Cup for England.
I’m struggling to find the words to put with this post but please watch my most recent interview with Dele. It’s the most emotional, difficult yet inspirational conversation I’ve ever had in my life. Watch the interview on @wearetheoverlap here https://t.co/60d4IZwQmR pic.twitter.com/0cZowJGW77
— Gary Neville (@GNev2) July 13, 2023
Despite his rapid rise, Dele ended up experiencing bad times at the club. Before transferring to Everton, the Englishman said that he considered hanging up his boots when he was coached by José Mourinho.
“It sounds dramatic, but I was literally looking in the mirror and I was wondering if I could retire now, at 24, doing what I love. For me, it was painful to have thought about it at 24 years old, wanting to retire. It hurt me a lot, it was another thing I had to carry, ”she reported.
Loaned to Besiktas last season, he also revealed that he became addicted to sleeping pills and had to be hospitalized to treat the problem. The 27-year-old said he made the decision to go to the clinic on his own.
“So I went there (for rehab), I was there for six weeks and Everton was amazing, you know. They supported me 100% and I will forever be grateful to them,” he concluded.
During his time in Turkey, Dele Alli played in 15 matches and scored three goals. He still has a contract with Everton until June 2024.
Source: Gazetaesportiva
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