Dele Alli will try to stay grounded after scoring a wonder goal on his first England start but the Tottenham midfielder insists goals have always been a significant part of his repertoire.
Alli scored from 30 yards against France at Wembley on Tuesday, despite some arguing that his selection in the squad had come too early in his career. It was the 19-year-old’s fourth international appearance and, along with Eric Dier in central midfield and John Stones at centre-half, his performance will have encouraged Roy Hodgson on a night when the football was of secondary importance.
Alli signed for Spurs in February from MK Dons and has been a regular both in the Premier League and Europa League this season. He described his England goal as a “dream come true”, having won possession in midfield with a crunching tackle. “It’s one of those crazy moments and I’m sure I’ll think about it a lot,” he said. “To do it at Wembley and score my first goal for England is a great moment for me. Words can’t describe the feeling.
“I like to get goals. I scored a few last year at MK. Goals are a big part of my game. Maybe in my first few games at Tottenham I didn’t show that – I wasn’t getting forward enough. But playing with Eric gave me the licence to get forward and that allowed me to get the goal.
“It’s been a crazy start to the season and it’s all happened really quickly. I’ve got a lot of people to thank for that. I never really started thinking about England. I knew if I played well for my club then the England opportunity would come, and thankfully it has. But my main focus was at the club and it’s a proud moment to represent my country.”
On the support of Mauricio Pochettino and of Tottenham, who play West Ham on Sunday, Alli said: “He’s a great manager and he puts a lot of trust in young English players. It’s a great thing for English football. It’s a great platform for the club and it shows what we’re about.
“He’s a great guy, really passionate, and he cares about the players. If you’ve got any problems he’s always there for you. I can already tell that from the short time I’ve been there. He puts a lot of trust into youngsters which is obviously really good for me.”
