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TBT: Dele Alli Made His Professional Debut Five Years Ago, Today

TBT: Dele Alli Made His Professional Debut Five Years Ago, Today

From a substitute against Cambridge City to scoring twice against Real Madrid

Joe Baiamonte

Joe Baiamonte

Watching him bag a brace against Real Madrid, last night, it already feels as if Dele Alli has been around forever, giving how accomplished his performances have been for Tottenham over the last two and a bit seasons. But just five years ago, today the midfielder was making his professional debut.

And it was in far less glamorous setting than against the European Champions at Wembley.

Instead, Alli was introduced to the footballing world as a baby faced 16-year-old, fresh from posting Myspace selfies and sneaking into Yates' and getting his older looking mates to buy him bottles of Hooch, probably (it's been 13 years since I was 16, alright?).



In the 64th minute of MK Dons' FA Cup first round tie against Cambridge City, Alli trotted onto the turf in front of 1,564 fans (roughly 80,000 less than who saw him score a brace against Real, last night) and promptly delivered a back-heel with his first touch.


It was a sign of things to come, although maybe no one knew it then. And Alli's then manager Karl Robinson was less than impressed.

"I was going to throttle him!" Robinson said, via the Evening Standard

"I can't say what I said but it was along the lines of 'the cheeky little something or another'.

Fortunately for Alli, although his backheel in the 0-0 against non-league Cambridge didn't exactly enamour him to Robinson, he atoned for it in the replay.

"It was 0-0 against a team from non-League. In the replay he scored from 35 yards. And I knew the kid had something."


Dele Alli Spurs
Dele Alli Spurs
Dele Alli England
Dele Alli England

Alli has become an integral part of Tottenham and England's plans over the last two years. Images: PA

Five years later and Alli is enjoying his third season as a Spurs player as a two time PFA Young Player Of The Year, with 39 goals in 109 appearances to his name and 22 England caps. Barring serious injury or a major drop in form, the now 21-year-old will also be on his way to his second major international tournament, next summer, as England head to Russia for the 2018 World Cup.

What will the next five years hold for the Spurs midfielder?

(H/T Evening Standard)

Featured Image Credit: MK Dons/Twitter

Topics: Football News, Tottenham Hotspur, Football, Dele Alli