Everton star Dele Alli says he is “overwhelmed” by the reaction to an interview in which he revealed he was sexually abused as a child.

The 28-year-old said last year he was abused when he was six and started selling drugs when he was eight, leading to mental health problems later in life.

He also said he struggled with a sleeping pill addiction, which led to him checking into a rehab clinic.

Prince William was among those who praised the England international and Premier League star after the interview, describing him as “brave and inspiring”.

“When I was interviewed, I said if I help one person, that’s all I need,” he told Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football this week.

“I had to do it for my own reasons, but if it helps one person, that’s what I want and the response and support I’ve gotten has been absolutely overwhelming.

“But it’s great to see it helping so many people and I’m very proud of it.”

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Everton footballer Dele Alli reveals he was sexually abused when he was six
Prince William praises Dele Alli for talking about childhood trauma

Alli told Gary Neville’s YouTube channel The Overlap in July that his life changed for the better when he was adopted by “a great family” at the age of 12.

“If God created people, it was them – they were amazing and helped me a lot.”

valuable lessons learned

Alli has not played since his loan spell at Besiktas was cut short last February due to a hip problem, with a groin problem also delaying his return to Everton.

But he said opening up about his problems helped him learn important lessons about himself that helped him get through the testing period.

“When I was interviewed, I said this was the best I’d ever felt, coming out of rehab and being ready to play,” he added.

“I had to learn what patience is, it’s been a long journey with injuries and a lot of ups and downs, but it’s something I had to learn.

“If you’d asked me before, injuries have been the biggest thing I’ve had to overcome mentally. Before this injury, the longest injury I had was eight weeks, which felt like forever.

“If I hadn’t gone through this process in the summer, I would have had a hard time going through it for over a year now.

“It’s just an injury and hopefully I can recover quickly. The pain of the injury is something I can really channel and help motivate me.

“I really had to learn what patience was, but it made me even more eager to get back on the court.”

If you have been affected by this story and would like to speak to someone, you can contact Samaritans on freephone 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org