Dele Alli’s birth mother says she ‘hasn’t stopped crying’ since her bombshell interview about her traumatic upbringing… and claims she had ‘no idea’ she was molested at age six
Dele Alli’s biological mother has denied the Everton midfielder was molested as a six-year-old and claims she hasn’t stopped crying since watching his heartbreaking interview.
The 27-year-old sat down with Gary Neville on The Overlap last week for a powerful talk and opened up about several traumatic experiences from his childhood.
‘At six, I was molested by my mother’s friend,’ said Ali. ‘My mother was drunk, and it happened at six o’clock.’
The former Tottenham star has received support from all corners of the football community in recent days, with fellow Premier League players penning messages of support.
Ally’s mother, Denise, has now responded to the revelations, insisting she had no knowledge of the abuse.
Dele Alli (above) has revealed he spent six weeks in a US rehab center this summer
Gary Neville sat down with Alli and conducted an emotional interview in which the Everton striker spoke candidly about his struggles in recent years.
Allie’s biological mother Denise (pictured in 2018) said she couldn’t stop crying
She told The Sun: ‘I couldn’t stop crying since I described the abuse my son suffered as a child. ‘I had no idea she had been molested.
‘I am very sorry. It breaks my heart to think that someone I let into my home may have betrayed my trust in the worst possible way.
‘I can’t put into words how upset I am that I no longer have contact with my son – and only hope I get the chance to see him again.’
Ally opened up about her family life for the first time during the interview, detailing the difficult circumstances surrounding her upbringing.
He recalled a brief stint in Africa to teach him discipline, before he started smoking and dealing drugs when he was ten.
Ally finally got some reprieve from her rough early years when she was adopted by a family she described as amazing.
‘I couldn’t have asked for better people to do what they’ve done for me,’ he told Neville. ‘If God made men, they were.’
The former Spurs man had been estranged from his birth mother for several years when he felt she wanted to drive a wedge between him and his adoptive parents.
The player is managed by his brother Harry (left) and Ali credits the Hickford family for his success over the years.
‘After that I feel cheated and disappointed,’ he added. ‘And hurt that I couldn’t relate to my mother.’
Her adopted brother Harry Hickford was one of those voices who praised her for the brave sit-in, sharing a photo of the pair on his Instagram account from when they were at school together.
Hickford said: ‘I can’t put into words how proud I am of you @Dale. It took so much strength and courage for you to open up about your recent struggles.
‘You’ll never realize how many people you’ve helped by doing this. You have endured many ups and downs but have become an incredible person that I am proud to call my brother.’