Around 120 football stars are addicted to drugs or gambling, PFA figures reveal after Dele Alli’s brave confession
- Shock figures from Professional Footballers Association shed light on the issue
- Alli revealed he became addicted to sleeping pills to cope with childhood trauma
Around 120 football stars are addicted to drugs or gambling, figures have revealed – after Dele Alli’s brave confession.
The Everton player, 27, revealed in an interview with Gary Neville last Thursday that he had been molested when he was six by one of his alcoholic mother’s friends – and that as an adult he had become addicted to sleeping tablets.
The England star spoke openly about his difficulties in recent years after his troubled childhood saw him taken into foster care.
Now, the latest figures from the Professional Footballers Association union for 2021-22 have revealed the true extent of substance addiction in the industry.
The stats showed around 120 talented current and retired players are addicted to drugs or gambling, The Sun reported.
Around 120 football stars are addicted to drugs or gambling, figures have revealed (file image)
Everton player Dele Alli, 27, revealed in a brave interview last week that he had become addicted to sleeping tablets in a bid to overcome childhood trauma
In addition, at least 600 from across all the professional leagues suffer from anxiety, depression, stress and suicidal tendencies.
In the 2021-22 season, 77 players checked into rehab – in many cases due to substance addiction – up from 59 the year before.
The drugs said to be among those the Premier League stars are dealing with include sleeping pills, mixing prescription medicines with alcohol, and nitrous oxide.
READ MORE: Prince William supports ‘brave and inspirational’ Dele Alli with personal tweet thanking him for opening up about his mental health
The Sporting Chance charity is working with the PFA to stage interventions, psychiatric evaluations, and providing mental health workshops and counselling.
A source told The Sun: ‘There are genuine fears many addicted players keep their problems hidden — especially high-profile players in the Premier League.
‘The true extent of the problem is thought to be much bigger than the PFA figures.’
In his emotionally-charged interview, Dele described to Gary Neville just how torrid his childhood with his birth family had been before he was adopted at the age of 12.
‘When I was six I was molested by mum’s friend… because my mum was an alcoholic,’ he said in the one-to-one on with Neville on The Overlap, ‘That happened at six.’
He continued: ‘And then I was sent to Africa to learn discipline and then I was sent back. At seven I started smoking and then at eight I started selling drugs.
A young Dele Alli pictured with a football as a child, left, next to an adult Alli in his Everton kit, right
Prince William has hailed Dele Alli ‘brave and inspirational’ after he opened up about his childhood trauma
‘An older person told me they wouldn’t stop a kid on a bike so I’d ride around with my football and underneath I’d have drugs.
‘At 11 I was hung off a bridge… by a guy from the next estate. A man. By 12 I was adopted but from then it was like I was adopted by an amazing family.’
His interview was met with messages of support from stars and fans across the world, including the Prince of Wales who tweeted a personal message to thank him for opening up about his mental health.
Prince William said in a touching show of support: ‘Brave and inspirational @dele_official. Discussing mental health is not a sign of weakness. Let’s keep the conversation going. We’re all with you and we wish you the very best. W’.
Alli burst onto the scene at Tottenham Hotspur in 2015 but fell from grace as his career was marred by controversy on and off the pitch.
He was pictured at drunken beach bashes and punished for punching a rival during a match.
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