Dele Alli spent six weeks in rehab for sleeping pills addiction as Everton star reveals he almost retired at 24 & received apology from Jose Mourinho for ‘f****** lazy’ jibe

Everton midfielder Dele Alli has shared that he underwent six weeks of rehabilitation to combat his addiction to sleeping pills.

The 27-year-old made the decision to undergo surgery after being informed about it during an interview with Gary Neville on “The Overlap.”

Dele shared his experience of struggling with addiction to sleeping tablets, which he believes is more prevalent in football than people realize. He emphasized the importance of discussing such issues openly, although he admitted that it was challenging for him to do so due to the recent nature of his own struggle. After returning from Turkey and discovering that he needed an operation, Dele found himself in a mentally dark place. Consequently, he made the decision to seek help at a modern rehab facility that specializes in addiction, mental health, and trauma. Dele acknowledged that entering rehab can be intimidating, but he was grateful for the unexpected benefits he derived from it. Reflecting on his troubled past, he admitted that certain unresolved traumas had adversely affected him and led to self-destructive behavior. However, learning about and understanding these issues in rehab allowed him to let go of negative emotions and move forward. In addition, Dele spoke candidly about his mental health struggles and challenging upbringing. He revealed that at one point during his career, he contemplated retiring at the young age of 24 when he was dropped from the team by Jose Mourinho at Tottenham. Dele also addressed Mourinho’s public criticism of him as “lazy” in an Amazon documentary, explaining that the manager later apologized privately for the remark. However, the apology was not included in the documentary, and Dele believes that the public perception of him as lazy was perpetuated by others for their own reasons. Finally, Dele expressed his hope that by sharing his own story, he can support and inspire others who have faced similar hardships.