English professional football player and Everton attacking midfielder, Bamidele Jermaine Alli, has recounted the childhood experience of how he was molested by his mother’s friends at the age of six, started smoking at seven, and engaged in the sale of drugs at eight.
The former Tottenham star revealed this in a heartfelt interview with football pundit and former Manchester United player, Gary Neville on The Overlap Exclusive.
According to him, some disturbing experiences from his childhood affected both his personal life and football career.
He added that he was sent to Africa to learn discipline at the age of six but was sent back to England a few months later.
He said, “My childhood is something I haven’t really spoken about that much, to be honest. So, at six, I was molested by my mum’s friend, who was at the house a lot. My mum was an alcoholic, and that happened at six.
“I was sent to Africa to learn discipline, and then I was sent back. At seven, I started smoking, and at eight, I started dealing drugs.
“An older person told me that they would not stop a kid on a bike, so I rode around with my football, and then underneath, I would have the drugs. That was at eight. At eleven, I was hung off a bridge by a guy from the next estate, a man.”
He disclosed that his life, however, turned around for the better when he was adopted at the age of 12.
Describing his adoptive parents as God-sent, he said, “Twelve, I was adopted – and from then, it was like – I was adopted by an amazing family, as I said, I could not have asked for better people to do what they did for me.
“If God created people, it was them. They were amazing, and they have helped me a lot. I tried to be the best kid I could be for them. I stayed with them from 12 and then started playing first-team football professionally at 16. It all sort of took off from there.”
He, however, said he hopes his brave admission of his ugly childhood experience will inspire other people in similar situations to seek help when it is needed.
