Dele Alli won the last of his 37 England caps in 2019
Dele Alli has said that he was sexually abused at the age of six and was dealing drugs two years later – while a recent fight against a sleeping pill addiction led to a six-week stay at a rehab clinic.
The Everton midfielder has seen his football career stall in recent seasons but has now spoken on the reasons behind a mental health battle that saw him contemplate hanging up his boots at the age of 24.
In an emotional interview, the England international fought back tears as he laid bare his difficult upbringing before he was adopted by the Hickford family – saying he was "molested" at the age of six.
Speaking to Gary Neville on The Overlap podcast, Alli said: "(Childhood) is something I haven't really spoken about that much, to be honest.
"My mum was an alcoholic. I was sent to Africa (to stay with his father) to learn discipline, and then I was sent back. At seven, I started smoking, eight I started dealing drugs.
Dele said he hopes his brave admission can inspire others to seek the help they need.
If you or anyone you know has been affected by any of the themes in this interview you can speak to the following organisations.
One In Four, Irish Charity Supporting adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse- 01 66 24070
Dublin Rape Crisis Centre- Tel:1800 778 888
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