Tottenham Hotspur and England international Eric Dier wished he had done more to assist his former club teammate Dele Alli after listening to Alli’s interview.
OsunDailyNG reported that Dele Alli revealed to the world recently via an interview with Gary Neville on The Overlap that he was “molested” at the age of six, began smoking at the age of seven, and was distributing narcotics at the age of eight.
The 27-year-old Nigerian-British midfieder also revealed that he was in rehab for six weeks due to a sleeping pill addiction and mental health difficulties.
Also in the interview, he described Eric Dier as a “great friend” and gave special mention to other Tottenham Hotspur players like Harry Kane, Son Heung-min, and Ben Davies.
In reaction to the interview, Dier, who is currently on tour with Tottenham Hotspur, told reporters in Singapore that he was unaware of the mistreatment Dele said he suffered as a child before being adopted at the age of 12.
“No, I wasn’t aware of it. There were things that I was and wasn’t aware of,” the 29-year-old Englishman said.
“A long time ago I went to Milton Keynes with him and he showed me around where he grew up. He showed me everything so I was aware of the outline of the picture, the frame, but not the picture itself.”
Eric Dier added, “Obviously, it was difficult to watch.
“Lots of stuff, not everything, but quite a lot of it I knew already. I was with him just a week before, he was at my wedding.
“I don’t know what to say about it. I don’t want to say anything that I haven’t said to him. I wouldn’t do that. For me it was, as I said, it was difficult to watch, upsetting.
“I think my overwhelming feeling, which I said to him as well, is probably I’m upset that I didn’t do more.”
Dele made his senior football debut for MK Dons at the age of 16 in 2012, and after joining Tottenham in February 2015, he was loaned back to the then-League One club for the remainder of the season.
Ahead of the 2015-2016 season, Alli returned to Spurs, who had signed Eric Dier in August 2014.
Both were members of England’s World Cup squad in 2018 and led Tottenham to the Champions League final in 2019.
Dele’s football career deteriorated, and he left Spurs in February 2022 to join Everton before joining Turkish club Besiktas on loan last season.
Due to injuries, Alli, who earned his 37th England cap in 2019, returned to Everton at the end of last season.
