Dele Alli

Hansi Flick's team won a Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal and Champions League treble in 2019-20, seeing off Paris Saint-Germain in the final of the European football's premier competition in August.

Robert Lewandowski and Joshua Kimmich were the only Bayern players to make the long-list last year, and those two again feature this time around.

Lewandowski scored a remarkable 55 goals across all competitions for Bayern last term, and has hit the ground running this season, netting 15 times to take his tally for the year so far to 70.

Manuel Neuer enjoyed something of a resurgence last term and heads up a list of 10 goalkeepers.

David Alaba was last on the list in 2017 but returns after starring at centre-back alongside Jerome Boateng, who also makes his first appearance in three years.

Thomas Muller is back after a four-year absence, while Alphonso Davies, Serge Gnabry and Leon Goretzka are all included for the first time.

Philippe Coutinho was something of a bit-part player though did score twice and provide an assist in a thumping 8-2 win over Barcelona – where he has now returned after a loan spell in Munich – in the Champions League semi-finals, while Thiago Alcantara, now of Liverpool, also features.

The list, which is based on players who received the most votes from other professionals, also includes 11 new faces.

It is no shock to see Borussia Dortmund's scoring sensation Erling Haaland make the cut, while Manchester United playmaker Bruno Fernandes is also involved.

Dele Alli, meanwhile, is something of a surprise inclusion.

The Tottenham midfielder has fallen out of favour under Jose Mourinho, making only two Premier League appearances, with his only top-flight start coming in the opening day defeat to Everton – in total, Alli has played just 66 league minutes this term.

Premier League champions Liverpool have eight players on the list, including new signing Thiago.

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are included among 15 forwards, while Dani Alves is the only player on the list not to play in Europe's top five leagues.

The 2020 FIFA FIFPRO Men's World 11 will be made up of the goalkeeper, three defenders, three midfielders and three attackers who receive the most votes, with the final spot going to the highest-ranking outfielder outside of the top nine.

The spread of the coronavirus has led to tight restrictions in many countries, with social distancing measures effectively confining many to their homes.

With sport across the globe on hold and daily life so severely disrupted, Alli is trying to do his bit to help his more youthful team-mates.

"As a more experienced player, I've been speaking to the younger lads and just making sure they are alright," he told Sky Sports.

"Even for myself, speaking to other people and trying to make sure I'm not in my little bubble here and that I reach out and communicate with other people.

"No one has been in this situation before, it's tough for everyone to deal with, everyone is in the same boat.

"I think it is great that people are using social media and different platforms to find ways to try and help anyway they can."

The restrictions were in place over Alli's 24th birthday earlier this month and he shared a social media post showing some rather subdued celebrations in isolation.

But the England international has been able to stay in touch with the Spurs squad via regular videoconference training sessions involving the whole team.

"Being stuck at home on your birthday isn't the most ideal thing, but I made as much fun of it as I could. It was a little bit of fun, I tried to keep it light-hearted," he said.

"We've been doing a Zoom session every morning at 11 o'clock, which is good because it keeps us in a routine.

"You have to get up early, eat well and do those sessions, which have been tough but also good as you get to see the boys every day."

On February 9, Alli shared a video to his official Snapchat account, which showed him wearing a facemask in an airport departure lounge.

In the clip – captioned "Corona whattt [sic], please listen with volume" – Alli focused the camera on a man of Asian appearance before turning it on a bottle of antiseptic hand wash.

"This virus gunna have to be quicker than that to catch me," read the second caption.

Alli deleted the video and issued an apology on the Chinese social media platform Weibo.

Despite his contrition, Alli has been charged with a breach of FA Rule E3.

The FA statement confirming the charge read: "It is alleged that the Tottenham Hotspur midfielder's post breaches FA Rule E3(1) as it was insulting and/or improper and/or brought the game into disrepute.
 
"It is further alleged that the post constitutes an "Aggravated Breach", which is defined in FA Rule E3(2), as it included a reference, whether express or implied, to race and/or colour and/or ethnic origin and/or nationality."

Alli has until March 5 to respond to the charge.

The Everton midfielder has seen his football career stall in recent seasons but has now spoken on the reasons behind a mental health battle that saw him contemplate hanging up his boots at the age of 24.

In an emotional interview, the England international fought back tears as he laid bare his difficult upbringing before he was adopted by the Hickford family – saying he was “molested” at the age of six.

Speaking to Gary Neville on The Overlap podcast in partnership with Sky Bet, Alli said: “(Childhood) is something I haven’t really spoken about that much, to be honest.

“My mum was an alcoholic. I was sent to Africa (to stay with his father) to learn discipline, and then I was sent back. At seven, I started smoking, eight I started dealing drugs.

“Eleven, I was hung off a bridge by a guy from the next estate. Twelve, I was adopted – and from then, I was adopted by an amazing family – I couldn’t have asked for better people to do what they’d done for me. If God created people, it was them.

“There were a number of times my adopted family and my brother – you know, it makes me sad – they would take me to rooms crying, asking me to just speak to them, tell them what I’m thinking, how I’m feeling, and I just couldn’t do it because I wanted to deal with it by myself.”

After signing for Tottenham from MK Dons, Alli enjoyed a fine run of form that culminated in playing a key role in England’s progress to the World Cup semi-finals in 2018.

But Alli was still battling in silence off the pitch – leading to a “scary” addiction to sleeping pills and a reliance on alcohol.

“I got addicted to sleeping tablets and it’s probably a problem that not only I have, I think it’s something that’s going around more than people realise in football,” he said.

“I think, without me realising it – the things I was doing to numb the feelings I had…I didn’t realise I was doing it for that purpose, whether it be drinking or whatever.

“I don’t want to talk about numbers but it was definitely way too much, and there were some scary moments I had.

“To take a sleeping tablet and be ready for the next day is fine, but when you’re broken as I am, it can obviously have the reverse effect because it does work for the problems you want to deal with.

“That is the problem – it works until it doesn’t. So yes, I definitely abused them too much. It is scary, now I’m out of it and I look back on it.

“Probably the saddest moment for me, was when (Jose) Mourinho was (Tottenham) manager, I think I was 24. I remember there was one session, like one morning I woke up and I had to go to training – this is when he’d stopped playing me – and I was in a bad place.

“I mean it sounds dramatic but I was literally staring in the mirror – and I was asking if I could retire now, at 24, doing the thing I love. For me, that was heart-breaking to even have had that thought at 24, to want to retire. That hurt me a lot, that was another thing that I had to carry.”

Having left Spurs for Everton in 2022, Alli spent last season on loan at Besiktas but upon returning to England with an injury that required surgery he knew he needed help, checking into a clinic in the United States.

“When I came back from Turkey, I came in and I found out that I needed an operation and I was in a bad place mentally and I decided to go to like a modern-day rehab facility for mental health,” he said.

“I was caught in a bad cycle. I was relying on things that were doing me harm and I think I was waking up every day and I was winning the fight, you know; going into training, smiling, showing that I was happy.

“But inside, I was definitely losing the battle and it was time for me to change it because when I got injured and they told me I needed surgery, I could feel the feelings I had when the cycle begins and I didn’t want it to happen any more.

“They deal with like addiction, mental health, and trauma because it was something that I felt like it was time for.

“I think with things like that, you can’t be told to go there, I think you have to know, and you have to make the decision yourself, otherwise it’s not going to work.

“I went there for six weeks and Everton were amazing about it. They supported me 100 per cent and I’ll be grateful to them forever…I was probably making the biggest decision of my life – something I was scared to do.

“But I’m happy I’ve done it and to be honest, I couldn’t of expected it to go the way it did.”

Alli has received support online from former team-mates including Jan Vertonghen and Harry Kane.

England captain Kane tweeted: “Proud of @dele_official for speaking out and sharing his experience to try and help others.”

Here, the PA news agency looks at some of the best examples from July 13.

Football

Dele Alli spoke about his troubles – and received plenty of support.

Harry Kane worked hard in the gym.

Life’s a beach for Zlatan.

Jose Mourinho and his team were hard at it.

Controversial!

Scott McTominay was also switching sport.

Liverpool have a new number nine.

Cricket

Comical!

Worth another look!

Boxing

Tyson Fury made a promise to Francis Ngannou.

Olympics

Two-time Taekwondo gold medal winner Jade Jones pulled off a successful landing.

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Golf

Preparation is everything for Billy Horschel.

Tottenham midfielder Alli shared a video on his official Snapchat account on Saturday, which showed him wearing a facemask in an airport departure lounge.

The coronavirus outbreak in China has impacted thousands and has caused hundreds of deaths, with travel restrictions having been implemented in an attempt to mitigate its spread.

England international Alli captioned his video with the message: "Corona whattt [sic], please listen with volume."

Alli then zoomed the camera towards a man of Asian appearance before turning it towards a bottle of antiseptic hand wash and captioning: "This virus gunna have to be quicker than that to catch me."

Following complaints, the 23-year-old deleted the video and on Sunday apologised for his actions.

"I'd like to apologise for the video I posted on Snapchat [on Saturday], it wasn't funny," Alli said in a video posted on Chinese social media platform Weibo.

"I realised that immediately and took it down. I let myself down and the club. I don't want you guys to have that impression of me.

"It isn't something that should be joked about. Sending all my love and thoughts and prayers for everyone in China."

Son faces a spell on the sidelines after suffering a fractured arm in Spurs' Premier League win over Aston Villa on Sunday.

With Harry Kane still absent due to a hamstring injury, Tottenham are without a recognised striker in the starting line-up to face Leipzig on Wednesday.

It appears Alli could move into a more advanced role, with Lucas up top and Steven Bergwijn also offering support along with Giovani Lo Celso.

Jose Mourinho has made two changes to his starting line-up for the clash at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Gedson Fernandes and Lo Celso coming into the side as Eric Dier drops to the bench 

Timo Werner will provide Leipzig's main attacking threat in a contest that will see Julian Nagelsmann become the youngest manager to take charge of a Champions League knockout match at the age of 32.

On Saturday, Alli shared a video to his official Snapchat account, which showed him wearing a facemask in an airport departure lounge.

In the clip – which was captioned "Corona whattt [sic], please listen with volume" – Alli zoomed the camera towards a man of Asian appearance before turning it on a bottle of antiseptic hand wash.

"This virus gunna have to be quicker than that to catch me," read the second caption.

Alli deleted the video and issued an apology on the Chinese social media platform Weibo.

The coronavirus outbreak in China has impacted thousands, with the nation confirming on Friday the death toll has risen to 1,380.

While the Football Association (FA) could yet punish Alli, Mourinho highlighted the England international's presence of mind to apologise and express regret.

"It was not his intention to offend, he apologised immediately, regretted and recognised it was a young guy mistake, a young generation mistake and he apologised," Mourinho said.

"So, my conversation [with Alli] was easy, as it was not one of a contradiction of ideas. It was not him not understanding why I was unhappy, so it was so simple.

"What can I say? He regrets and, for me, that's the best feeling he can show, and to have the humility to apologise I think is also remarkable, because sometimes these young people make mistakes and don't realise – so this conversation was so easy.

"I have a son and daughter basically at the same age as Dele and many of my players - I know what social media is for this generation.

"But when you are a public person like footballers are, they have to know and have to be very careful.

"I repeat, Dele is a great guy. The last thing Dele is is anything connected with racism or disrespect, not at all, but these are current mistakes that some people sometimes make. But again, the good thing for me is regret and apologise, so for me it's end of story.

"I'm not the FA, I'm just his manager, his friend. I repeat, at the same age I have two great kids in my house, and I have to act as an educator and I think the best way to do it is immediately his reaction – regret and apologise."

Mbappe, 22, has been heavily linked with a switch to Madrid after starring for PSG, where he is contracted until 2022.

But with Thomas Tuchel reportedly sacked as coach, Mbappe moving to the Spanish capital may be unlikely.

TOP STORY – MBAPPE'S MOVE TO MADRID IN DOUBT

Mbappe's move to Real Madrid from PSG is in doubt after Tuchel's reported sacking, according to AS.

The departure of Tuchel, who is expected to be replaced by Mauricio Pochettino, adds another obstacle to Madrid's bid to land the France international next year, the report says.

Mbappe has scored 14 goals in 18 games for PSG this season.

ROUND-UP

- The expected arrival of Pochettino could lead to signings for PSG. The Sun reports the former Tottenham boss is set to make out-of-favour Spurs playmaker Dele Alli his first transfer target.

- PSG are seemingly considering their creative options. CalcioMercato says the Ligue 1 giants may target Juventus forward Paulo Dybala.

- Antonio Rudiger is linked with a move from Chelsea. However, Bild reports the defender will wait until after matches against Arsenal and Aston Villa to make a decision on his future.

- With Kieran Trippier banned, Atletico Madrid are looking at their options. The Daily Mail reports the LaLiga outfit are considering a loan move for Arsenal right-back Ainsley Maitland-Niles.

Madrid were stunned by third-tier side Alcoyano in the Copa del Rey on Wednesday, sparking fresh talk about Zidane's position at the helm.

Zidane is under fire, but the Frenchman may get more time.

TOP STORY – ZIDANE BEING QUESTIONED AS REAL MADRID BOSS

Zinedine Zidane is being questioned more than ever as Real Madrid head coach, according to AS.

The report says he will remain at the helm until the Champions League, which will resume in February, and former star forward Raul is the top candidate to replace him.

Madrid are second in LaLiga, seven points behind Atletico Madrid, who also have a game in hand.

ROUND-UP

- Pogba may be happier at Manchester United. The Daily Star reports United are increasingly confident the midfielder will see out his contract, which runs until 2022, despite interest from Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus.

- Christian Eriksen looks set to leave Inter, but it remains to be seen where he ends up. The Telegraph claims Leicester City have ruled out a loan move for the midfielder due to his wage demands.

- RB Leipzig defender Dayot Upamecano is set to be the subject of speculation for months to come. Goal reports Manchester United, Manchester City and Chelsea have shown interest in the defender, who is also wanted by Bayern Munich.

- Dele Alli wants to reunite with Mauricio Pochettino at PSG. 90min says the Tottenham midfielder has asked chairman Daniel Levy not to block a potential switch this month.

- Arsenalappear set to strengthen in January. Sport reports midfielder Martin Odegaard is very close to joining the Premier League club on loan from Real Madrid.

Alli laid bare his struggles in an emotional interview with Gary Neville, where he also spoke of suffering sexual abuse as a child and revealed he had undergone a stint in rehab to battle his problems.

The Everton midfielder is the latest player to suggest it is a common problem in the game after former Football League defender Ryan Cresswell opened up on his troubles to the PA news agency last year, saying it was a “big issue” among his peers.

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Sleep expert James Wilson, who has worked at West Ham, Rotherham and Lincoln, agrees it is a concern but said the pills are counter-productive for good sleep.

“You hear stories from players and members of staff that say, ‘You should go and work with this club because every single first-team player is taking sleeping pills every single night’,” he told PA.

“They are not generally good for your sleep and they are not good for recovery so that is why they are not a good idea in football. The fact they are addictive is the cherry on the cake in saying why we should not be using sleeping pills, especially as a first line of defence.

“In society in general we don’t understand the use of sleeping pills. The use is more rife in football because the job itself contributes to poor sleep, the night after a midweek game in particular footballers find it harder to sleep.

“There are two issues, one is which Dele has highlighted is that they can be addictive, depending on what type of pill it is.

“But also the sleeping tablet doesn’t give you sleep, it knocks you out. Sleeping pills impact on REM sleep and that is the stage where you go through an overnight counselling session, where your brain files the information from the day before.

“Without that REM sleep, the sleeping pill without him knowing will have contributed to him not being able deal with his mental health issues he was living with.”

Wilson attributes no blame to club doctors for prescribing sleeping pills, citing a lack of training, and says more education and a cultural change is needed across football.

“It is about education, we need to be educating players younger about sleep and we need to support players around their mental health,” he said.

“Often poor sleep can be caused by things going on in the players’ lives and I think within men’s football in particular we are not great at supporting men’s feelings. There needs to be more done there.

“There needs to be better-trained staff. It is more about nutrionisits, physios, or sports therapists having a better understanding of sleep so they can advise better.

“There also needs to be a cultural change. If senior and successful players are taking them then younger players look up to them and it becomes a myth.

“It is a better education, it is a better access to good sleep alternatives and that is for both players and staff.

“The problem in football is that we approach sleep like we approach training: the harder I try the better I get. If I put X, Y, Z in, I’ll get X, Y, Z out but sleep is not like that.

“It is about being in the right physiological state, dropping the heart rate, dropping core temperature. It is about being emotionally and physically secure. Natures of the job cannot create that. The more we accept that, the better our sleep will be.”