Former Tottenham midfielder Dele Alli sobbed in a recent interview as he opened up about the traumatic experiences he endured as a child, including being molested by a friend of his alcoholic mother.
Speaking to former Manchester United defender Gary Neville on The Overlap, Alli revealed his struggles with addiction and considered retiring from football at the age of 24.
He shared his experience seeking help and completing a six-week rehabilitation programme to overcome his sleeping pill addiction.
The Everton player, 27, stressed the importance of sharing his story in order to inspire others who may be in similar situations.
“Now is probably the right time to tell people. It’s tough to talk about it as it’s quite recent and something I’ve hid for a long time and I’m scared to talk about it,” he said.
“When I came back from Turkey [following a loan spell at Besiktas] I came back and found out I needed an operation.
“I was in a bad place mentally. I decided to go to a modern rehab facility that deals with addiction and mental health and trauma. I felt it was time for me.
“You can’t be told to go there, you have to make the decision yourself.
“I was in a bad cycle. I was relying on things that were doing me harm. I was waking up every day, winning the fight going into training every day smiling – willing to show I was happy.
“Inside I was losing the battle and it was time to change. When I was told I needed surgery I could feel the feelings I had when the cycle began.
“So I went there for six weeks. Everton were amazing and supported I will be grateful to them forever. For them to be so honest and understanding I couldn’t ask for anything more during a time I was making the biggest decision of my life – doing something I was scared to do. I’m happy I’ve done it.”
Alli also said he started smoking at the age of seven and dealing drugs when he was just eight. He was also hung off a bridge by a man from his local area as a child.
“[My childhood is] something I haven’t really spoken about that much, to be honest. I mean, I think there were a few incidents that could give you kind of a brief understanding,” Alli continued.
“So, at six, I was molested by my mum’s friend, who was at the house a lot. My mum was an alcoholic, and that happened at six. I was sent to Africa to learn discipline, and then I was sent back.
“At seven, I started smoking, eight I started dealing drugs. An older person told me that they wouldn’t stop a kid on a bike, so I rode around with my football, and then underneath I’d have the drugs, that was eight. Eleven, I was hung off a bridge by a guy from the next estate, a man.”
