Alli, who won his last cap for England in 2019, fell out of favour at Tottenham after a drop-off in form, and has since played for Everton and Besiktas, struggling to make an impact for either side. Alli was widely regarded as England’s best and brightest young talent as he excelled under Mauricio Pochettino’s management at Tottenham, but his form began to dramatically drop off during Jose Mourinho’s time at the North London club. Such a drop-off was inexplicable to experts, pundits and fans alike. While the Evertonian’s interview does certainly offer an explanation as to why his form suffered such a catastrophic decline over the last five years, Alli’s story offers a brutally honest truth about the footballing world: mental health problems, from grassroots through the highest levels, remain an ever-present yet still taboo issue.
Three years ago, in the BBC documentary Football, Prince William and Our Mental Health, Frank Lampard, who was Chelsea manager at the time, stated that the footballing world was stuck in a “stone age” during his playing years, with discussions surrounding mental health non-existent. The ex-Chelsea player expanded on his point, explaining that the culture was to keep a stiff upper lip when he was younger. While Lampard admitted that mental health in football is an “important thing that we’re much more aware of now”, he added that there was a lot more work to be done on such an important issue. The last three years have certainly seen some improvement in mental health awareness being brought to the forefront, with the launch of the Premier League’s Inside Matters campaign in May 2023, and the Harry Kane Foundation on World Mental Health Day last year amongst others. With the long-term goal of helping to “transform a generation’s thinking on mental health” for Kane’s foundation, and to “reinforce the commitment to supporting the mental wellbeing of players, fans and those in communities” from the Premier League’s Inside Matters, the footballing world has certainly started to take the right steps toward becoming a safe space for athletes and fans alike to discuss mental health without judgement. But in the words of Lampard, there remains a lot more work to be done.
People don't understand the mental toll of football
Dele Alli
With recent interviews such as Dele Alli’s and more recently Tottenham striker Richarlison’s, who opened up about his own mental health struggles following a poor run of form for the North London side, the players themselves are certainly laying the foundations toward a footballing world that experiences mental health issues the way it does physical health. When speaking on The Overlap, Alli explained that while he “owes everything to football” and that the sport saved his life, it is difficult for people to understand the overwhelming pressure of playing at the professional level; “people don’t understand the mental toll of football.” Indeed, it is easy to comprehend the physical demands it takes for a sportsperson to play at the highest level, but the mental toll can no longer be ignored. It is certainly extremely brave for players to come forward and be so transparent about their mental health journey within the sport as Alli, Richarlison and others have done, and they have deservedly been given all the plaudits from the footballing world for their courage. But with the cause that they are championing, openness they are encouraging and the awareness they are bringing, the footballing world is slowly moving in the right direction to viewing mental and physical issues in the same light; injuries, that with the right support and care, will heal.
