DELE ALLI

Boy who cut all ties

DELE ALLI is reportedly estranged from his family, having chosen to remove his surname from his shirt while playing for Tottenham. (His surname has reappeared on his England strip.)

Born in Milton Keynes to Nigerian father Kehinde and English mother Denise (above), his parents split when he was three. Raised first by his mum, Dele moved to Lagos to be with his dad, a businessman.

He returned to Milton Keynes aged 11 when his talent for football became clear. At 13 he moved out of his mother’s home and in with Alan and Sally Hickford, parents of a player friend Harry, whom Dele refers to as his ‘brother’.

Denise and Kehinde have both stated how much they miss their son. Of his action in dropping his surname from his strip, Dele says: ‘It was a decision that had to be made.’