Dele Alli went from being one of England’s brightest young footballers to a free agent at 29 after a steep decline driven by injuries, tactical and form issues, and very serious off‑pitch personal and mental health struggles.

Quick scoop: where he is now

  • As of early 2026, Dele Alli is without a club after mutually terminating his contract with Italian side Como in late 2025.
  • He played just one competitive game for Como, came on late and was sent off shortly after, and never established himself there.
  • Reports have linked him with possible moves to new clubs (including abroad), and while there was speculation he might retire, he has publicly indicated he still wants to continue playing.

In short: he’s 29, technically still an active player, but currently clubless and trying to rebuild a career that stalled badly.

How he rose so fast

  • Dele broke through at MK Dons as a teenager and earned a move to Tottenham in 2015, where he quickly became a star under Mauricio Pochettino.
  • At Spurs, he hit elite numbers for a midfielder, with one standout season delivering over 20 Premier League goal contributions and back‑to‑back PFA Young Player of the Year awards.
  • He became a regular for England, winning 37 caps and playing at the 2018 World Cup while still in his early 20s.

This early period is why so many fans now ask “what happened?”—he looked like a long‑term England and Spurs cornerstone.

What went wrong: on the pitch

Several football factors combined and fed into each other:

  1. Tactical and role changes
    • Dele thrived as an attacking midfielder making late runs beyond Harry Kane in a very specific Spurs system; as managers and systems changed, that role became less central and his strengths were harder to accommodate.
  1. Form and confidence drop
    • His output declined after his peak seasons, and once he lost rhythm and confidence, his all‑action, instinctive style suffered.
 * Criticism from pundits and fans grew, and he gradually went from automatic starter to squad player at Spurs.
  1. Moves that never really worked
    • He left Spurs for Everton in January 2022, but injuries and patchy form meant he never got a real, sustained run there.
 * A loan spell at Beşiktaş in Turkey also failed to reignite his career; minutes were limited and he did not re‑establish his old level.

 * After missing the 2023–24 season with Everton due to injury, he joined Como in Serie A on a free—again, it did not work, with just one appearance and then a mutual termination.

What went wrong: off the pitch (serious)

This is where the story becomes much heavier and more personal.

  • In a very emotional 2023 interview, Dele revealed he had been sexually abused as a child and spoke about longstanding trauma from his upbringing.
  • He also disclosed that he had developed an addiction to sleeping pills and had spent time in rehabilitation to address both addiction and mental health problems.
  • These issues ran in parallel with his football decline: long injury layoffs, time away from the pitch, and the pressure of public scrutiny all intersected with underlying trauma and mental health struggles.

Many fans and analysts now view his career not as a “lazy talent wasting his gifts,” but as a case where unresolved trauma, mental health difficulties, and physical problems combined to derail a hugely promising path.

Because this involves abuse, addiction, and mental health, it’s important to treat his situation with some care rather than just as “celebrity gossip.”

If you or someone you know is dealing with trauma, addiction, or thoughts of self‑harm, it’s crucial to seek help from qualified professionals or trusted support lines in your country.

Current narrative and forum talk

Online discussions and videos now tend to frame Dele Alli’s story in a few ways:

  • “Tactical and effort” angle: Some fans argue he took his foot off the gas after early success, got distracted by lifestyle and branding, and never adapted when his game needed to evolve.
  • “Mental health and trauma” angle: Others emphasize how childhood abuse, addiction, and the pressure of elite football likely undercut his consistency and resilience, making the decline far more complex than effort alone.
  • “Injuries and bad moves” angle: Another line of discussion focuses on persistent injuries, stop‑start seasons, and transfers that didn’t fit him tactically (Everton, Beşiktaş, Como) as key turning points.

Most recent coverage combines these views: an early‑peaking star whose specific role disappeared, whose body and confidence let him down, and who has been open about carrying deep personal scars.

TL;DR: Dele Alli was once an England and Spurs star, but a mix of tactical changes, loss of form, injuries, and very serious personal issues (childhood abuse, addiction, and mental health struggles) led to a sharp decline; after short, unsuccessful spells at Everton, Beşiktaş, and Como, he is now a 29‑year‑old free agent still hoping to keep his career alive.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.