Alli reveals how mental health struggles impacted his life and career

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Dele Alli opened up to Premier League legend and Sky Sports host Gary Neville on his struggles on and off the pitch, diving into his past and revealing his new found excitement for the future.

Alli burst onto the scene as a teenager after moving from the third tier of English football to Tottenham in the 2015/16 season. He flourished under Mauricio Pochettino and was considered the best English prospect the Premier League had seen since a teenaged Wayne Rooney.

Signs of decline could be seen in Pochettino’s final season, with Alli unable to match his previous form, this was viewed as overall squad fatigue and a slump after their UEFA Champions League final defeat.

In reality Alli was suffering.

The midfielder continued to struggle despite playing under various managers such as Jose Mourinho, Nuno Espirito Santo and Antonio Conte. Frustration at a lack of playing time resulted in a move to Everton in January of 2022.  Frank Lampard’s first signing and a last chance at success in the Premier League, this was setup for Dele Alli’s return to the top. Unfortunately his new surroundings were not enough, his struggles on the pitch were the same, and he fell out of favour at Goodison Park relatively quickly.

Dele was still fighting his demons.

A move to Turkey followed with a loan to Besiktas – one last chance at redemption. If he could make it in Istanbul, if he could get some consistency and regain his passion, we could see the return of a great midfielder.

This was ultimately a dream, and limited appearances and a hip injury that ruled him out for months turned that dream into a nightmare, the final nail in the coffin of what was meant to be the greatest British midfielder of his generation. Sir Alex Ferguson’s dream player for Manchester United, Tottenham’s gem and Everton’s last chance was now out of options at the highest level, his Premier League career looked to be over.

Dele Alli fell out of love with the game, he even stated at his lowest point he considered retiring at the age of 24. He had lost the desire that had driven him to become one of the best midfielders in the Premier League.

While talking to Neville, Alli revealed he had a rough upbringing, a drug-filled home environment with no boundaries, his mother’s struggles with alcoholism, having no real relationship with his father, and being sexually abused by one of his mothers friends. It is a miracle at all that Alli has made it to where he is to today.

This is the true testament of his character, he is not the lazy party animal he has been made out to be by the English media, he is a human being that has been suffering with the trauma of his past.

Alli also admitted he struggled with substance abuse as it helped him deal with the trauma of his childhood. He has recently returned from a rehabilitation facility in the USA where he spent six weeks at the beginning of this year after fighting a sleeping-pill addiction.

Dele Alli is set to return from injury in August after surgery on his hip ruled him out for nearly three months, returning to Everton with just 12 months left on his contract. His future beyond next season is up in the air, but if there is one thing that is certain, the footballing world is in support of his bravery, the strength he has shown in his vulnerability and bringing to light the harsh reality of ill mental health and it’s impact on life, regardless of circumstance.

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Dylan Johnson