Dele Ali is not giving up on football at the highest level!
Source: Richard Sellers / PA Images / Profimedia
Although he is 28 years old, many people think that his career is over, but Dele Ali is not giving up! The former child prodigy of English football, the former regular representative barely played in the last few seasons, but now he says he wants to go to the World Cup! The former MK Dons and Tottenham player dropped in form in 2020 when he started working with Jose Mourinho, and since then he has played very little and has not played a single minute of football this season. He has spoken publicly about his mental health issues and is now confident he can return to the highest level.
But he has 37 appearances for England, and he last played for the national team in 2019. Now he has told the English media that they can expect him at the World Cup in 2026 as he is preparing for it.
“On my phone, the alarm rings every day at 11 o’clock. The reminder says – World Cup 2026. I know people will say that I haven’t played for more than a year, but that’s my goal. I know my qualities“, said Dele Ali for Sky.
He was last on the pitch in Besiktas on loan in February 2023, and is currently recovering from a hip injury. “The difficult period is behind me, but now I’m enjoying the recovery process. I see the light at the end of the tunnel after all the injuries. I had to be patient, I had a long period with injuries, a lot of ups and downs“, he pointed out.
Many were surprised when a few seasons ago Jose Mourinho publicly called him out for being lazy, and now Ali admits that the “Special One” was right all along. “The only one to blame is me. I should have been at a level that would never have put my status in the team in question. No one is to blame but me. Working with Mourinho is an unforgettable experience“, said the English footballer.
His contract with Everton is expiring, and we will see what will be the next stop. It seems that the club from Liverpool will not extend his cooperation, and who will be ready to take a risk with him?