Dele Alli: Timeline of Events That Defined Everton Star’s Upbringing

• Dele Alli has opened up on his mental challenges in an explosive interview
• He exposed unknown details about his football career challenges in the last years
• Alli shed insight into his childhood and how a six-year timeline did damage to him

Dele Alli is the man of the moment after he took the bold step of opening up on the challenges of his childhood and football career over the past four years, which has seen him lose touch with what he loves.

Alli, without a doubt, was one of the best English prospects over the last ten years when he came into the limelight at Tottenham, but it did not take long before things went downhill.

He recognised that one of the first steps to rediscovering himself is opening up, admitting his struggles and seeking help, all of which he is doing simultaneously.

15 best footballers who smoke: A list of footballers who take the occasional puff

Football

The Athletic noted that the 27-year-old has been going for rehabilitation over pills addiction in the past six weeks, and Everton's club statement confirmed the help the club has rendered to the player.

Timeline of Alli's troubled upbringing

Alli was born to a Nigerian father, Kehinde and an English mother, Denise and was raised mainly by his mom, whom he admitted suffered from alcohol problems.

In a revealing and emotional interview with Gary Neville on The Overlap Podcast, he detailed how a timeline of events in six years shaped his childhood forever.

"My childhood is something I haven't spoken about that much, to be honest. I mean, I think there were a few incidents that could give you a brief understanding," he said.

He claimed he was molested by his mom's friend, who was at their house a lot at six, after which he moved to Africa with his father to learn discipline but was returned, and things got worse.

Athletes who are vegan: Ranking the 15 most successful vegan athletes

Athletics

"At seven, I started smoking; at eight, I started dealing substance. 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 substances; that was eight. Eleven, I was hung off a bridge by a guy from the next estate, a man," he further expressed.

At 12, he was adopted by Alan and Sally Hickford, the parents of another MK Dons player, whom he acknowledged were loving and helped him.

"I couldn't have asked for better people to do what they'd done for me. If God created people, it was them. They were amazing, and they've helped me a lot," he added.

When Alli almost retired

Sports Brief reported that Alli almost retired at 24 during Jose Mourinho's era at Tottenham, who dropped him from the team and publicly branded him lazy.

He admitted he spoke to himself one day and asked if he could retire because he was in a bad moment and not feeling connected to the manager due to their strained relationship.