Sexually abused at 6, started smoking at 7, adopted at 12 — Delle Alli opens up on childhood abuse, trauma

Former Tottenham Hotspurs midfielder Delle Alli has opened up on his childhood struggles and abuse.

In an emotional interview with former England international Gary Neville, Alli lifted the lid on his traumatic childhood experiences before he was eventually adopted at the age of 12.

The England international whose last appearance for the Three Lions came in 2019 talked about how he was sexually harassed at the age of six, started smoking at age seven, and was forced to do drugs at 8.

The Everton midfielder added that he was sent to Africa to learn discipline at the age of seven before he was adopted at 12 years old.

“At seven, I started smoking, eight I started dealing drugs,” he told The Overlap.

“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.

“Twelve, I was adopted – and from then, it was like – I was adopted by an amazing family like I said, I couldn’t have asked for better people to do what they’d done for me. If God created people, it was them.”

Dele Alli, who was heralded as football's next big thing has seen his career marred by injuries and some off-the-pitch issues.

He was a key figure in the England squad that reached the semifinals of the 2018 World Cup. He also guided Tottenham Hotspurs to the finals of the Champions League in 2019.

WDN