List of All Articles with Tag 'ball'

Sheffield United have made Tunisia international Anis Slimane their first summer signing. The Blades have signed Slimane from Danish club Brondby on a three-year deal for an undisclosed fee, understood to be around £1.2million. The 22-year-old midfielder, who played for Tunisia in last year’s World Cup, told the club’s official website: “I like the culture of the club. I heard it is a hard-working club and that reminds me of myself. “I love to work hard, and I love to give everything – leave everything out on the pitch. At this club, nothing is given, everything is worked for. “I had a really good talk with the club and the manager and I felt that they had the right plan for me. The manager was really honest and I am excited to be here and looking forward to the Premier League. “It is a big opportunity and a big challenge, I am not coming here for a vacation. I have been through a lot in my career so far, even though I’m only 22, but I still have a lot to learn, and I am looking forward to learning every day.” Boss Paul Heckingbottom, whose club have also been linked with Ivorian winger Benie Traore, is delighted to sign a player with experience at such a young age. “He’s 22 but someone with a lot of experience. He’s played a lot of first-team games, been to a World Cup and someone who has continually gone up the ladder in terms of his levels,” Heckingbottom said. “He’s a technical player who can handle the ball really well and someone who works really hard. I think the fact that he’s played in a number of positions at international level and has been trusted in those positions shows he gets the game tactically. “Anis is someone we’ve known about since we first took the job here, really in that first window. We never really had the opportunity to do something until now and it has just coincided with his contract situation so the timing is really good for both of us.” The Blades are preparing for life back in the Premier League after two seasons away and are currently in a fight to keep star striker Iliman Ndiaye. The Senegal international is reportedly attracting interest from Marseille, but the PA news agency first revealed that he has been offered a bumper new deal by the South Yorkshire club. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live

Everton have praised the “bravery” of Dele Alli after the midfielder revealed he was sexually abused as a child, with England captain Harry Kane and Match of the Day host Gary Lineker also supporting him. In an emotional interview, Alli told how he was “molested” as a six-year-old and was dealing drugs aged eight, while he also spoke about alcohol problems, sleeping pill addiction and addressing his mental health struggles by spending six weeks in a rehab clinic. The 27-year-old said he had contemplated hanging up his boots three years ago before leaving Tottenham for Everton in 2022. Alli made just 13 appearances before joining Besiktas on loan last season but is now back at Goodison Park. “The club has been supporting Dele in both his return to fitness and overcoming the personal challenges highlighted in his interview with The Overlap,” an Everton spokesperson said. “Everyone at Everton respects and applauds Dele’s bravery to speak about the difficulties he has faced, as well as seek the help required. “The physical and mental welfare of all our players is of paramount importance. The club takes very seriously its responsibility in protecting the confidentiality of players and staff. “Dele will not be conducting any further interviews in relation to his rehabilitation, and we ask that his privacy is respected while he continues his recuperation from injury and receives the full care and support needed for his physical and mental well-being.” Alli spoke out in an interview with Gary Neville on a special edition of The Overlap podcast in partnership with Sky Bet, which was released on Thursday morning. England skipper Kane, a former teammate of Alli’s at Spurs, retweeted a clip from the interview, posting: “Proud of @dele_official for speaking out and sharing his experience to try and help others.” Another former Spurs teammate, Son Heung-min, took to Instagram stories to deliver his support, posting pictures of the pair together along with the message: “Your brave words will help so many people. Proud of you mate” Lineker tweeted: “This is very powerful and brave. Good luck to you @dele_official.” The Professional Footballers’ Association also issued a statement on Twitter in response to Alli’s interview. “It’s incredibly brave of Dele to tell his story with such honesty in this important interview with @gnev2,” they wrote. “Hearing Dele speak with such openness will make a difference, and his desire to use his own experiences to act as an inspiration to others - inside and outside of football - is something he should be extremely proud of.” Neville himself commented on conducting the interview, claiming it was the “most emotional, difficult yet inspirational conversation I’ve ever had.” “I’m struggling to find the words to put with this post but please watch my most recent interview with Dele,” he wrote on Twitter. “It’s the most emotional, difficult yet inspirational conversation I’ve ever had in my life.” TV presenter Jake Humphrey praised the interview, saying: Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant chat with Dele Alli and @GNev2. These kinds of conversations putting empathy over opinion are so incredibly important. So many people are struggling but don’t feel able to speak. Dele will help them hugely.” Alli won 37 caps for England and the national team also tweeted their support: “Sending our love, @dele_official” Read More Dele Alli reveals childhood drug dealing, sexual abuse and sleeping pill addiction Dele Alli praises ‘best manager’ Pochettino for ‘caring about me as a person’ Dele Alli reveals childhood drug dealing, sexual abuse and sleeping pill addiction Sheffield United sign Anis Slimane from Danish club Brondby

A disabled Manchester City fan was left lying alone in her own urine in a hospital bed after breaking her femur in two places amid the chaos at last month’s Champions League final in Istanbul. Clare Watson, who is ambulant disabled following the collapse of her three lower vertebrae, travelled to Turkey with her grandchildren for the showpiece game on June 10, but suffered an accident on the way to the match which has forced her to miss six weeks of work. Watson described her experience as “atrocious” after she and her grandchildren were forced to get out of the taxi they were travelling in to the Ataturk Stadium by police due to a road closure. She recalled walking over “building site rubble” and tripped as she tried to avoid an oncoming vehicle. “It was then clear from the pain that I needed an ambulance, but they would not allow my grandchildren to come with me, ” she told disability access charity Level Playing Field (LPF). “Once at the hospital, I was told the severity of my injury and that I would need surgery. I was moved to another hospital for the operation the following afternoon but was ignored and received no attention for hours on end. “Lying there in my own urine, soaking wet, was the most upsetting part of the experience.” LPF has demanded answers from match organisers UEFA over how disabled supporters were accommodated at the Ataturk Stadium in the week following the match, but has so far received no response. UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin admitted on a visit to Manchester last month that “not everything was perfect” in Istanbul, with many supporters reporting issues with transport and access to water and toilets. Watson’s daughter is a nurse and advised her to go back to hospital when she returned to Manchester. “I went to North Manchester A&E and they could not believe I had been advised to fly home,” Watson recalled. “I was cared for there for another week, still in pain, but with the necessary equipment and plenty of care from my daughter. “I am now at home and unable to work, having missed the game and brought back a metal rod instead of a souvenir flag.” LPF fan liaison officer Liam Bird said Watson’s experience demonstrated “a clear lack of respect for fans” from UEFA, and that lessons had not been learned from the chaotic scenes at the 2022 final in Paris between Liverpool and Real Madrid. An independent report into that match found UEFA bore primary responsibility for what almost became a “mass fatality catastrophe” with supporters kept penned outside the perimeter of the Stade de France. Wembley will host next year’s Champions League final. Football Association chair Debbie Hewitt said last month that the staging plans would be “tested to destruction” by all the agencies involved in organising it. Bird believes Wembley will “undoubtedly provide better” but added: “This lottery of access and inclusion (based) on which year your team gets to the final cannot continue. “UEFA need to engage with organisations with expertise in disability access and inclusion, as well as disabled supporters themselves, when planning all showpiece events.” Football Supporters Europe is compiling a report into fans’ experiences at this year’s final which will be presented to UEFA. UEFA has been approached for comment. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Sheffield United sign Anis Slimane from Danish club Brondby Andy Murray ‘will be devastated with Wimbledon exit – but can still win titles’ Frank Lampard reveals he wanted to sign Declan Rice when he was Chelsea boss

Ashley Young has joined Everton on a one-year deal. The 38-year-old winger turned full-back becomes the Toffees’ first summer signing, joining on a free transfer after his contract expired at Aston Villa. Young has signed a one-year deal at Goodison Park to work under manager Sean Dyche, who was his captain when first breaking through at Watford. “The manager was important in me signing,” the former England international and Manchester United captain said. “I know him and know what his passion and desire is like. His honesty, will to work hard and his hunger for the game is second to none. “I know things haven’t gone too well for Everton in the past couple of seasons but the manager’s ambition, speaking to him and hearing what he wants to do to change the club around, was a key factor in my decision. “The other is the size of Everton. It’s a massive club and the fanbase is one of the best. “Having them behind me is a fantastic opportunity. I’m delighted to get the opportunity to be here and I just want to get started now.” Young won Serie A with Inter Milan before returning to Villa for a second spell in 2021 and Dyche says Everton are getting “a top-class professional”. “I’ve known Ashley for many years, having been his captain when he first broke through at Watford, and his qualities both on and off the pitch will prove valuable,” he said. “His impressive statistics from last season, which were among some of the best in Europe, highlight what he can bring to Everton.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live

Former Chelsea manager Frank Lampard has revealed he wanted to sign Declan Rice, believing the Arsenal-bound midfielder could have been the Blues’ long-term captain. Former Chelsea academy player Rice, who has since gone on to establish himself as an England regular under Gareth Southgate, captained West Ham to Europa Conference League glory last month ahead of his expected move to north London. Lampard, who managed Chelsea between 2019 and 2021 before returning for a stint as caretaker boss earlier this year, told the Diary of a CEO podcast: “I wanted to bring in Declan Rice. “I was like ‘this kid is going to be the captain of Chelsea for the next 10 years’. It didn’t happen, anyway, it is hard to dissect people’s work.” Lampard returned to the club as interim manager in April after Chelsea sacked Graham Potter but only managed one win in his 10 games in charge as the Blues finished 12th. Chelsea’s record goalscorer referred to the troubles he experienced with the oversized squad he inherited after the £600million-plus investment from Todd Boehly’s Clearlake Capital consortium since 2022. Lampard added: “The biggest thing about the low standards was the size of the squad. The motivation was tough with players outside the Champions League squad. “When I came in, very quickly I noticed that some players were thinking about the season’s going to peter out and what the future’s going to look like and that was a difficult situation. “When you have international players in a big number then of course you’re telling internationals to stay at home and it’s not easy, and to have the conversation with them every Friday and to get them lined up coming in is also not easy for your own energy. “I think there’s an understanding at the club that (squad size) has to change now, I think it has to change and if you lack those basics then it’s really hard to get where you want to get to.” I think it has to change and if you lack those basics then it's really hard to get where you want to get to Frank Lampard talks about Chelsea's squad on the Diary of a CEO podcast Chelsea have since appointed Mauricio Pochettino as their new manager and have streamlined their bloated squad by selling eight first-team players ahead of their pre-season tour to the United States. Lampard talked up Mason Mount, who is among those to have left Stamford Bridge this summer, signing for Manchester United earlier this month. “I think it’s a great signing,” Lampard said. “So in terms of what he’ll bring to Manchester United, it won’t just be what Mason brings, he will bring loads of talent, but he’s just going to go and (raise) the levels.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Andy Murray ‘will be devastated with Wimbledon exit – but can still win titles’ Ashley Young excited to work with Sean Dyche at Everton Chloe Kelly knows every England player needs to be ready at World Cup

Dele Alli has revealed he was sexually abused at the age of six and was dealing drugs two years later – while a recent fight against a sleeping pill addiction led to a six-week stay at a rehab clinic. The Everton midfielder has seen his football career stall in recent seasons but has now spoken on the reasons behind a mental health battle that saw him contemplate hanging up his boots at the age of 24. In an emotional interview, the Everton midfielder and former England international fought back tears as he laid bare his difficult upbringing before he was adopted by the Hickford family. Alli also told Gary Neville in The Overlap podcast, in partnership with Sky Bet, that he only came out of rehab last month as he struggled with his mental health. The 37-cap England star, who spent last season on loan at Turkish side Besiktas, said: “When I came back from Turkey, I came in and I found out that I need an operation and I was in a bad place mentally. “I decided to go to like a modern-day rehab facility for mental health. They deal with like addiction, mental health, and trauma because it was something that I felt like it was time for. “I think with things like that, you can’t be told to go there. I think you have to know, and you have to make the decision yourself, otherwise it’s not going to work.” Alli – a key part of the England side that reached the 2018 World Cup semi-finals – also laid bare the sickening abuse he received as a child, saying he was “molested” at the age of six. “(Childhood) is something I haven’t really spoken about that much, to be honest,” he said. “I was sent to Africa (to stay with his father) to learn discipline, and then I was sent back“At seven, I started smoking, eight I started dealing drugs. “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. “There were a number of times my adopted family and my brother – you know, it makes me sad – they would take me to rooms crying, asking me to just speak to them, tell them what I’m thinking, how I’m feeling, and I just couldn’t do it because I wanted to deal with it by myself.” After signing for Tottenham from MK Dons, Alli enjoyed a fine run of form that culminated in playing a key role in England’s progress to the World Cup semi-finals in 2018. But he was still battling in silence off the pitch – leading to a “scary” addiction to sleeping pills and a reliance on alcohol. “I got addicted to sleeping tablets and it’s probably a problem that not only I have, I think it’s something that’s going around more than people realise in football,” he said. “I think, without me realising it – the things I was doing to numb the feelings I had...I didn’t realise I was doing it for that purpose, whether it be drinking or whatever. “I don’t want to talk about numbers but it was definitely way too much, and there were some scary moments I had. “To take a sleeping tablet and be ready for the next day is fine, but when you’re broken as I am, it can obviously have the reverse effect because it does work for the problems you want to deal with. “That is the problem – it works until it doesn’t. So yes, I definitely abused them too much. It is scary, now I’m out of it and I look back on it. “Probably the saddest moment for me, was when (Jose) Mourinho was (Tottenham) manager, I think I was 24. I remember there was one session, like one morning I woke up and I had to go to training – this is when he’d stopped playing me – and I was in a bad place. “I mean it sounds dramatic but I was literally staring in the mirror – and I was asking if I could retire now, at 24, doing the thing I love. For me, that was heart-breaking to even have had that thought at 24, to want to retire. That hurt me a lot, that was another thing that I had to carry.” Alli said that he had largely been able to mask his difficulties during his football career but to the detriment of his mental health. He added: “To be honest, I was caught in a bad cycle. I was relying on things that were doing me harm and, yeah, I think I was waking up every day and I was winning the fight, you know, going into training, smiling, showing that I was happy. “But inside, I was definitely losing the battle and it was time for me to change it because when I got injured and they told me I needed surgery, I could feel the feelings I had when the cycle begins and I didn’t want it to happen anymore. “So, I went there [rehab], I went there for six weeks and Everton were amazing about it, you know. They supported me 100 per cent and I’ll be grateful to them forever.” Dele Alli was speaking to Gary Neville on a special episode of The Overlap in partnership with Sky Bet. Read More The inspiration behind Australia’s shot at home World Cup glory Women’s World Cup history hangs over co-hosts New Zealand Jordan Henderson offered quadruple his Liverpool wages to join Gerrard’s Saudi side The inspiration behind Australia’s shot at home World Cup glory Women’s World Cup history hangs over co-hosts New Zealand Jordan Henderson offered quadruple his Liverpool wages to join Gerrard’s Saudi side

Cristiano Ronaldo’s Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr have been banned from registering new players due to “outstanding debts”, Fifa has said. Former Manchester United and Real Madrid star Ronaldo moved to the Middle East in January, with a host of star names having followed since as the kingdom seeks to build the Saudi Pro League into one of the world’s best. However, Fifa has now imposed a ban on the club’s transfer activity. A spokesperson for the global governing body said: “The club Al-Nassr is currently prevented from registering new players due to outstanding debts. “The relevant bans will be lifted immediately upon the settlement of the debts being confirmed by the creditors concerned.” Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), which has an estimated net worth of over 600 billion US dollars (almost £460bn) bought a majority stake in Al-Nassr as well as three other Saudi clubs in June. The club have further strengthened their squad with the signing of Croatian midfielder Marcelo Brozovic from Inter Milan. Read More Mason Mount echoes iconic Manchester United No 7 in energetic debut Russell at Wimbledon as Bronze hits beach – Wednesday’s sporting social Beckham brightens smile on Messi mural to welcome superstar signing to Miami

Dele Alli has revealed he was sexually abused at the age of six and was dealing drugs two years later – while a recent fight against a sleeping pill addiction led to a six-week stay at a rehab clinic. The Everton midfielder has seen his football career stall in recent seasons but has now spoken on the reasons behind a mental health battle that saw him contemplate hanging up his boots at the age of 24. In an emotional interview, the England international fought back tears as he laid bare his difficult upbringing before he was adopted by the Hickford family – saying he was “molested” at the age of six. Speaking to Gary Neville on The Overlap podcast in partnership with Sky Bet, Alli said: “(Childhood) is something I haven’t really spoken about that much, to be honest. “My mum was an alcoholic. I was sent to Africa (to stay with his father) to learn discipline, and then I was sent back. At seven, I started smoking, eight I started dealing drugs. “Eleven, I was hung off a bridge by a guy from the next estate. Twelve, I was adopted – and from then, I was adopted by an amazing family – I couldn’t have asked for better people to do what they’d done for me. If God created people, it was them. “There were a number of times my adopted family and my brother – you know, it makes me sad – they would take me to rooms crying, asking me to just speak to them, tell them what I’m thinking, how I’m feeling, and I just couldn’t do it because I wanted to deal with it by myself.” After signing for Tottenham from MK Dons, Alli enjoyed a fine run of form that culminated in playing a key role in England’s progress to the World Cup semi-finals in 2018. But Alli was still battling in silence off the pitch – leading to a “scary” addiction to sleeping pills and a reliance on alcohol. “I got addicted to sleeping tablets and it’s probably a problem that not only I have, I think it’s something that’s going around more than people realise in football,” he said. “I think, without me realising it – the things I was doing to numb the feelings I had…I didn’t realise I was doing it for that purpose, whether it be drinking or whatever. “I don’t want to talk about numbers but it was definitely way too much, and there were some scary moments I had. “To take a sleeping tablet and be ready for the next day is fine, but when you’re broken as I am, it can obviously have the reverse effect because it does work for the problems you want to deal with. “That is the problem – it works until it doesn’t. So yes, I definitely abused them too much. It is scary, now I’m out of it and I look back on it. “Probably the saddest moment for me, was when (Jose) Mourinho was (Tottenham) manager, I think I was 24. I remember there was one session, like one morning I woke up and I had to go to training – this is when he’d stopped playing me – and I was in a bad place. “I mean it sounds dramatic but I was literally staring in the mirror – and I was asking if I could retire now, at 24, doing the thing I love. For me, that was heart-breaking to even have had that thought at 24, to want to retire. That hurt me a lot, that was another thing that I had to carry.” I definitely abused them too much. It is scary, now I’m out of it and I look back on it Dele Alli on his sleeping pill addiction Having left Spurs for Everton in 2022, Alli spent last season on loan at Besiktas but upon returning to England with an injury that required surgery he knew he needed help, checking into a clinic in the United States. “When I came back from Turkey, I came in and I found out that I needed an operation and I was in a bad place mentally and I decided to go to like a modern-day rehab facility for mental health,” he said. “I was caught in a bad cycle. I was relying on things that were doing me harm and I think I was waking up every day and I was winning the fight, you know; going into training, smiling, showing that I was happy. “But inside, I was definitely losing the battle and it was time for me to change it because when I got injured and they told me I needed surgery, I could feel the feelings I had when the cycle begins and I didn’t want it to happen any more. “They deal with like addiction, mental health, and trauma because it was something that I felt like it was time for. “I think with things like that, you can’t be told to go there, I think you have to know, and you have to make the decision yourself, otherwise it’s not going to work. “I went there for six weeks and Everton were amazing about it. They supported me 100 per cent and I’ll be grateful to them forever…I was probably making the biggest decision of my life – something I was scared to do. “But I’m happy I’ve done it and to be honest, I couldn’t of expected it to go the way it did.” Alli has received support online from former team-mates including Jan Vertonghen and Harry Kane. England captain Kane tweeted: “Proud of @dele_official for speaking out and sharing his experience to try and help others.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live FIFA bans Cristiano Ronaldo’s club Al Nassr from registering new players Chloe Kelly knows every England player needs to be ready at World Cup Para-triathlete Mel Nicholls dreaming of success at Paris 2024

Cristiano Ronaldo’s Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr have been banned from registering new players due to “outstanding debts”, FIFA has said. Former Manchester United and Real Madrid star Ronaldo moved to the Middle East in January, with a host of star names having followed since as the kingdom seeks to build the Saudi Pro League into one of the world’s best. However, FIFA has now imposed a ban on the club’s transfer activity. A spokesperson for the global governing body said: “The club Al Nassr is currently prevented from registering new players due to outstanding debts. “The relevant bans will be lifted immediately upon the settlement of the debts being confirmed by the creditors concerned.” Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), which has an estimated net worth of over 600 billion US dollars (almost £460bn) bought a majority stake in Al Nassr as well as three other Saudi clubs in June. The club have further strengthened their squad with the signing of Croatian midfielder Marcelo Brozovic from Inter Milan. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live

Stars of the upcoming Women’s World Cup have pledged to neutralise the climate impact of their flights to and from Australia and New Zealand by donating money to climate resilience and carbon offsetting initiatives. A collection of 44 leading players from four different countries, including Danish international Sofie Junge Pedersen, Canadian midfielder Jessie Fleming and Italian defender Elena Linari, have committed to take responsibility for their environmental impact at the tournament. The initiative was created by 31-year-old Pedersen, who has won 85 caps for Denmark, and is being facilitated by Common Goal, the social and environmental collective movement in global football, and Football For Future, the UK-based climate advocacy group. Although there are 44 players currently signed up, it is hoped that number will reach at least 50 by the time the World Cup gets underway later this month. Pedersen explained: “I want to ensure my World Cup experience has a positive environmental legacy. Climate change is the biggest issue humanity faces, and I want to be part of the solution. While there are no current sustainable solutions to aviation, as players we are setting an example, and taking a tangible step in the right direction.” Chelsea and Canada star Fleming added: “This is a topic I feel passionate about, and I hope this action my teammates and I are taking accelerates the climate conversation and sets a precedent for what athletes can do to push for more environmental policies in football.” The campaign recognises that these donations are only short-term tools to compensate for players’ flights to and from the World Cup but the stated aim is to inspire everyone in football to take responsibility for tackling climate change, with the hope that governing bodies will make carbon-offsetting a key criteria to hosting tournaments int he future. The campaign relies on a rigorous and scientific methodology to calculate the environmental impact of the players’ flights to and from the World Cup, directly referencing the flight’s carbon tonnage. The players will then donate the money to a combination of climate resilience, carbon offsetting and adaptation initiatives run by WWF (Australia, New Zealand) and DanChurchAid. These initiatives are based in Australia, New Zealand, and Uganda. Read More Lionesses bonus row could drag on until after World Cup Sam Kerr ready for her ‘Cathy Freeman moment’ at Women’s World Cup ACL injuries are keeping stars out of the Women's World Cup

Dele Alli has revealed he was sexually abused at the age of six and was dealing drugs by the time he was just eight years old. In an emotional interview, the Everton midfielder fought back tears as he laid bare his difficult upbringing before he was adopted by the Hickford family. Alli also told Gary Neville in The Overlap podcast in partnership with Sky Bet that he has battled a sleeping pill addiction and only came out of rehab last month as he struggled with his mental health. The England international, who spent last season on loan at Besiktas, said: “When I came back from Turkey, I came in and I found out that I need an operation and I was in a bad place mentally. “I decided to go to like a modern-day rehab facility for mental health. They deal with like addiction, mental health, and trauma because it was something that I felt like it was time for. “I think with things like that, you can’t be told to go there. I think you have to know, and you have to make the decision yourself, otherwise it’s not going to work.” Alli said that he had been able to mask his difficulties. “To be honest, I was caught in a bad cycle. I was relying on things that were doing me harm and, yeah, I think I was waking up every day and I was winning the fight, you know, going into training, smiling, showing that I was happy,” he said. “But inside, I was definitely losing the battle and it was time for me to change it because when I got injured and they told me I needed surgery, I could feel the feelings I had when the cycle begins and I didn’t want it to happen anymore. “So, I went there, I went there for six weeks and Everton were amazing about it, you know. They supported me 100 per cent and I’ll be grateful to them forever.” Alli – a key part of the England side that reached the 2018 World Cup semi-finals – laid bare the sickening abuse he received as a child, saying he was “molested” at the age of six. “I was sent to Africa to learn discipline, and then I was sent back,” he said. “At seven, I started smoking, eight I started dealing drugs. “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.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Chloe Kelly knows every England player needs to be ready at World Cup Para-triathlete Mel Nicholls dreaming of success at Paris 2024 Sarina Wiegman keeping out of discussions over World Cup bonuses

Jordan Henderson is set to face a decision over whether to stay at Liverpool amid interest from Saudi Arabia and the possibility of a lucrative transfer. Liverpool are yet to receive an offer for their captain but Henderson has emerged as a target for Al Ettifaq and their new manager Steven Gerrard. The side is reportedly offering the Liverpool captain £700,000 a week, or around £36 million a year – quadruple his current Premier League wage. Henderson, 33, has two years left on his contract at Anfield but could face a battle for his place after Jurgen Klopp spent £95m revamping his midfield with the signings of World Cup winner Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai. Now Liverpool’s Champions League-winning skipper must determine whether to extend his 12-year stay at Anfield or join a host of players, including his former teammate Roberto Firmino, in signing up to go to Saudi Arabia. Euro 2024 is likely to be a factor in his thinking. Henderson forced his way back into England’s starting 11 during last winter’s World Cup and remains keen to play for his country. Klopp may be reluctant to lose the former Sunderland player, who made 43 appearances last season, after three other midfielders – vice-captain James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain – left at the end of the season. The 2020 Footballer of the Year succeeded Gerrard as Liverpool captain in 2015 and led them to their first English league title in three decades five years later. Read More The reason why Liverpool’s worst season under Jurgen Klopp can be a one-off Liverpool thought they’d bought the future – but two wrong moves left them counting the cost Why England will head into 2024 with their sense of optimism restored