One of football's more curious cases in recent years has been the dip in form of Englishman Dele Alli.
Alli starred for Spurs after bursting onto the scene in the 2016-17 season, and was a crucial player in the club's march to the Champions League final in 2019.
Things seemed to fall apart from then on for Alli, and a well-documented clip of him being lectured by then-Spurs manager Jose Mourinho in 2021 seemed to sum up the direction his career was going in.
After his recent spell on loan with Besiktas was cut short by the club, Alli has returned to Everton, where he may find himself out of favour at the beginning of the season.
For many, Alli's dip in form has been a puzzling one, but an emotional interview with Gary Neville on The Overlap this week has shed new light on the extraordinary struggles the 27-year-old has endured in recent years.
Alli's bravery in sharing some seriously tough stories with Neville has been widely praised on Thursday, as the true and brutal nature of the ex-Spurs star's struggles became apparent.
Dele Alli shares tough story with Gary Neville
During his appearance on The Overlap, Dele Alli spoke tearfully about being sexually abused as a child, and his addiction to sleeping medication, on top of everything that has come and gone on the football field in recent years.
Speaking with ex-footballer Gary Neville, Alli recounted an incident where he was molested by a friend of his mother's at just six years old, and was sent away from the house on several occasions. He had found his way into dealing drugs and smoking before he reached 10, before being hung off a bridge by a neighbour.
Alli's has been in rehab recently for an addiction to sleeping pills, and he provides an insight into this, as well as an honest recollection of childhood abuse and trauma.
Speaking about the impact that his trauma had on his ability to play football, Alli recalled an incident where he questioned retirement during Jose Mourinho's time in charge of Spurs:
I remember one morning - this was when he'd stopped playing me - looking in the mirror. It sounds dramatic but I was literally staring in the mirror, asking if I could retire now. At 24. Doing the thing I love.
For me, that was heartbreak.
It is a tough but compelling watch, and Neville and Alli's frank conversation on the matter is equal measures sobering and powerful (the full 40-minute special is worth watching).
When asked what advice he would give to players who find themselves struggling in the manner he did, Alli said:
People don't need to be scared of change. Change is always hard, and when something's uncomfortable and difficult, you get a feeling, you get scared, and you get the fear.
But when you have that feeling, that's the exact time that you need to jump and go for it. At the other side of fear and change is usually only positive things.
Hopefully me talking about my experiences is helpful to them.
Despite his struggles on the field in recent years, this will be the first many will have heard of Alli's off-field battles, and his honesty and openness has earned him widespread praise from the footballing community.
Neville himself shared the video on Twitter saying, "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."
Meanwhile, Everton shared a statement in which they confirmed they were aiding Alli in his rehabilitation, and firmly supported him in his drive to get back on the pitch:
The Club has been supporting Dele in both his return to fitness and overcoming the personal challenges highlighted in his interview with The Overlap.
Everyone at Everton respects and applauds Dele’s bravery to speak about the difficulties he has faced, as well as seek the help required. The physical and mental welfare of all our players is of paramount importance.
The Club takes very seriously its responsibility in protecting the confidentiality of players and staff.
Dele will not be conducting any further interviews in relation to his rehabilitation, and we ask that his privacy is respected while he continues his recuperation from injury and receives the full care and support needed for his physical and mental wellbeing.
Alli's former club Spurs were among the many footballing bodies and punters on social media who showed their support for the midfielder.
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) July 13, 2023
I’m halfway through this interview with Dele Alli and it’s a genuinely hard but important watch.
It’s a cliche but sometimes, we all forget that footballers are human beings first and foremost.
Fair play to both Neville and Dele Alli for this. ❤️pic.twitter.com/gG2fhdU036— HLTCO (@HLTCO) July 13, 2023
The Gary Neville Overlap interview with Dele Alli is both heartbreaking and powerful.
Obviously, you'd like to see him reach the heights he reached from 2015-2017, but as long as he gets back playing and regains his love for the beautiful game,that's what is most important.— Al Foran (@ImpressionistAL) July 13, 2023
– Alcoholic mom
– Molested by his mom's friend at 6
– Started smoking at 7
– Started dealing drugs at 8 (selling)
– Hung off a bridge at 11
– Adopted at 12
Emotional and powerful interview from Dele Alli.
Wishing him the best going forward. ❤️pic.twitter.com/9haKf66RzQ— UF (@UtdFaithfuls) July 13, 2023
You legitimately never ever know what’s going on in anyone’s life. even as a former spurs player i could never bring myself to enjoy the banter when Dele Alli’s career went downhill, always felt like he was dealing with some VERY heavy stuff.
pic.twitter.com/MACmu3LIb7— Aaron West (@oeste) July 13, 2023
This @dele_official & @GNev2 interview has once again highlighted that fans dont know the full story and should remember that players might be going through stuff none of us know about or could even imagine.
Hopefully him opening up can help people learn to listen before judging— Kyle Walker (@kylewalker115) July 13, 2023
It is a truly extraordinary story, and we can only hope to see Dele Alli back to his very best for Everton next season.
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