Established as a Premier League player with over 120 appearances and 42 goals to his name, and as an England international with 33 caps, not to mention the fact he has his own fashion label, it feels like Dele Alli should have more on the clock than just 22 years.
We sat the young lion down with poet, charity fundraiser and founder of his own creative agency, Hussain Manawar for SoccerBible Sessions Episode 3 – allowing the two creatives with very different inspirational roots to dig deeper into the life of Dele, dissecting the man and finding his soul, character and inspiration. For despite the placid, almost languid style of the Tottenham attacker off the pitch there’s fire in those eyes on it.
The pair riff on several topics, from where Dele’s inspiration comes from to how they deal with bad performances in what is a candid back and forth. Talk inevitably turns to the World Cup and how England’s exploits united the nation, and all the while Dele speaks from his own unique perspective.
I haven’t made it yet. I’m still far off it I think. 'Made it' is when you’ve achieved everything and won everything. Obviously I’m an established player, but you want to be more than that.”
Humble despite having the world at his feet, Dele continues to ply his trade, attracting praise from all corners of the footballing world. And while people on the outside may view him as a man of few words, he selects those words carefully, saying what he needs to say but doing his real talking on the pitch. Dele will be around for a long time yet, and the best is most definitely yet to come.
Watch the full SoccerBible Sessions episode with Dele Alli on IGTV.
