- Dele Alli is an English professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Premier League club Everton
Dele Alli’s adoptive parents, Alan and Sally Hickford, raised him alongside their two children. Alli shares a strong bond with Harry and their sister, Molly Hickford.
The former Tottenham star, Dele Alli, sat down for an emotional tell-all interview with Gary Neville on the show The Overlap.
In the interview, Alli talked about his troublesome childhood and how his foster family helped him in his early days.
Former teammate Harry Kane and soccer legend David Beckham were one of many who showed their support for Alli on social media.
Alli was never legally adopted by them, but the soccer player has always called Alan and Sally his parents. He moved in with them when he was 13.
His classmate-turned-brother, Harry Hickford, the only son of Alan and Sally, is Alli’s soccer agent and was behind his move to Everton and Bestikas.
Dele Alli Adoptive Parents, Alan, And Sally Hickford
Dele Alli’s adoptive parents Alan, and Sally Hickford, raised the former Tottenham star like their own son.
Born to an English mother, Denise, and a Nigerian father, Kehinde, Alli had troublesome childhood. His parents separated when he was only one week old.
His dad moved to America and remarried, and his mom raised him alongside his two sisters, who she had with two other men, and they lived in Bradwell.
Later Alli’s mother married again and had another child, but even that relationship failed. The midfielder then went to live in Nigeria with his dad.
But he returned to the UK when he was 11. He then became best friends with Harry Hickford at Radcliffe secondary school. Alli’s friendship with Harry grew as he visited his house three days a week after training.
By the time he was 13, Dele moved in with Alan and Sally in the suburb of Cosgrove, Northamptonshire, six miles from his mother. Alan worked as a builder at that time.
Alan and Sue never formally adopted Alli, but he always called him his parents. Alan was previously the director of the footballer’s company, Dele Alli Promotions Ltd.
But he resigned from the role in 2020. Alan is still a director of three other companies, A Hickford Lighting Limited, Hickfords Homes Limited, and Hickford Construction Limited.
Dele Alli Teammate Turned Brother, Harry Hickford
Harry Hickford might not be Dele’s biological brother, but he is no less than that.
From helping him escape his tumultuous family, Harry maintains a strong relationship with the soccer player.
If Alli became a soccer player, then Harry became a soccer agent. Harry is a licensed FIFA agent and passed the new FIFA exam earlier this year in April. The same exams were taken by Marcus Rashford’s brother, Dane Rashford, as well.
Harry has represented Dele as his manager since the beginning of his career. Till 2018, there were reports that the two lived together in Delli’s four-bedroom £2.25 million home in Hertfordshire.
Harry is available on Instagram with the username @harryhickford_ and has previously shared an Instagram post of Dele enjoying a family vacation with his foster parents and siblings.
Harry works with CAA, the sports agency behind Raphael Varane’s move to Manchester United.
Along with representing his brother, Harry is also an agent for Kyle Walker-Peters, George Baldock, and Jack Rodwell.
After Alli’s interview with Gary Neville aired, Harry shared a heartwarming Instagram post about how proud he was of Dele opening up about his struggles and how much he has helped others.
Hickford shared a childhood throwback picture of the two and also admitted the struggles of the last few years but was happy with the steps taken by his brother.
