Starting in January, he will begin training under the guidance of Cesc Fabregas, far removed from the pressures and spotlight of England. It has been almost two years since Alli last played – his final appearance came in February 2023 – and now he seeks physical and mental recovery alongside the serenity of Lake Como.
A Rollercoaster Career
Dele Alli’s meteoric rise and equally dramatic fall illustrate how quickly fortunes can change in football. During his time at Tottenham under Mauricio Pochettino, Alli was a revelation. Heralded as the “new Gerrard,” he achieved better Premier League stats than Cristiano Ronaldo, David Beckham, and Frank Lampard at the same age. Pochettino even compared him to Maradona and Ronaldinho, calling him a player “born with a gift.”
But fame came too quickly. Alli became a star at just 21 years old, with magazine covers, celebrity relationships, and a burgeoning profile off the pitch. However, under José Mourinho, his career faltered. Once pegged to be the centerpiece of Mourinho’s Tottenham side, he found himself relegated to the bench and stands. The infamous remark from Mourinho – “Is that you or your brother on the pitch?” – epitomised the struggles. Alli could only respond by lowering his head, a surrender both mental and physical.
Dark Shadows from the Past
Beneath the surface of Alli’s public persona lay unresolved traumas. In a raw and emotional interview with Gary Neville on *The Overlap* podcast, Alli revealed a deeply troubling childhood. “At six, I was molested by a friend of my mother. My mother was an alcoholic. At seven, I started smoking. At eight, I was dealing drugs.” He spoke about being sent to Africa for discipline, returning to England to face gang violence, and being hung from a bridge at just 12 years old. A home robbery in his adult years added further scars, both physical and emotional.
Alli acknowledged that he kept his struggles hidden for years. Seeking help became inevitable. “I masked what I felt, but deep down I knew I was losing the battle,” he admitted. A stint in a mental health clinic marked the start of his healing process. However, his time at Everton and Besiktas was underwhelming, as he struggled to rediscover the form that once captivated the footballing world.
A Possible Rebirth in Como
At 28, Alli still has time to salvage his career. Como offers him an opportunity to escape the relentless scrutiny of English football and rediscover the joy of the game. Training under Fabregas, Alli can focus on rebuilding his fitness and confidence in a tranquil environment. His talent, once described as “pure and unique,” remains undeniable.
The move to Como is as much about rediscovering Dele the man as it is about Alli the footballer. After years of struggle, he has removed the mask, choosing authenticity over pretense. Fabregas and the Como team have embraced him with open arms, hopeful that his journey, which has hit rock bottom, can once again ascend to the heights of football.
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