From Harry Kane’s partner to training in the eighth tier: Dele Alli’s journey

Dele Alli, once Harry Kane’s best partner at Tottenham, is currently training with Windsor & Eton, an English eighth-division team. Without a club, the former player is working to stay fit after a career that has taken a marked downturn.

Alli was once one of Tottenham’s and England’s biggest stars. He played 37 international matches and scored 3 goals. His career has also been marked by a deep sporting and personal crisis, as well as a six-week stay at a clinic to address his addiction to sleeping pills.

In July 2023, Dele Alli spoke in an emotional interview about difficult experiences in his childhood and his mental health problems. He said he had been sexually abused at the age of 6 and had dealt drugs at 8.

He was part of the England team that reached the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup in Russia. However, he has not played for his national team since 2019.

At 30, Alli has also begun livestreaming. During one of his broadcasts, he called several former teammates, including Kane. When the England captain picked up, Alli told him he deserved the Ballon d’Or. The exchange contrasts with the current position of Kane’s former partner, now training with an eighth-division team.