Dele Alli’s career might not have unfolded quite how he expected it to, but for a while, he was one of the best attacking midfielders in the world. As such, he played with some of the brightest talent in football. Whether it was for Tottenham Hotspur or England, he lined up alongside a plethora of incredible footballers.
Harry Kane, Heung-min Son, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Raheem Sterling were just a handful of the stars he called his teammates at one time or another. Interestingly, though, none of those names came to mind when he revealed who his greatest ever teammate was. In fact, when he revealed who the best player he ever played with was during an appearance on Monday Night Football with Sky Sports, he named Mousa Dembele.
Related
What Happened to Dele Alli and Why Isn’t he Playing Football?
Dele Alli was once among England’s brightest young prospects but has not figured in the Premier League since August 2022.
They teamed up at Tottenham
While many would expect Alli to name someone like Kane or Son as his greatest ever teammate, considering the fruitful unions he formed with both during his time at Tottenham, it was actually a different player he worked with at the club that he picked. During an appearance on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football, with quotes shared via Spurs Web, he revealed Dembele was the best player he teamed with. He said:
“Mousa [Dembele] is the best player I have ever played with.”
Dembele might not be a name that many expected Alli to come up with when discussing his greatest teammate ever, but the midfielder was a very underrated figure during his run in the Premier League. He excelled for both Fulham and Tottenham. After four years at AZ Alkmaar, the Belgian joined the Cottagers in 2010 and quickly took to life in England like a duck to water.
He immediately shone at Craven Cottage and after just two seasons, he was lured across London to Spurs. Following his arrival at Tottenham, Dembele took his game to a whole new level. He became one of Tottenham’s greatest ever central midfielders and was a crucial part in the club’s memorable moments throughout the 2010s. Alongside the likes of Alli, Kane and Son, he helped the club compete in multiple Premier League title races and even finish as the runner-ups in the League Cup.
Related
Ranking the 9 Best Tottenham Players in Premier League History
Since the Premier League started in 1992, several world-class stars have played for Tottenham. We have ranked the best.
After six and a half years, he left the club in January 2019 and moved to China where he spent the remaining three years of his career, but his time in England is what he’s most fondly remembered for. He left a lasting impression in the Premier League and through 249 Tottenham appearances, 10 goals and 10 assists, he did enough to earn his status as Alli’s greatest ever teammate.
All statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt and accurate as of 13/01/2025
About Author
