How Dele Alli is plotting one of football's greatest comebacks with the 2026 World Cup in his sights... and the one thing holding him back

Join Mail+ to get ahead of the game with Sami Mokbel's unmissable football news column every Thursday, plus more of your favourite writers and clubs We reveal the one thing stopping Everton from signing the former England star and how they are helping the 28-year-old in his journey back to the top Most of us set daily reminders in some shape or form, probably to put the bins out or to jog the memory with certain tasks at work. Most of us set daily reminders in some shape or form - Dele Alli's daily reminder is slightly different The words 'World Cup 2026' pop up on the former England man's phone every morning at 11am Despite not kicking a ball in a competitive game of football for nearly two years, Dele still believes in himself But it was a lack of said belief after that 2018 World Cup that saw him plunge from poster boy to outcast as Jose Mourinho left him out of the Spurs XI and even matchday squad, with a minimal level of communication at the heart of the downfall. It was belief that took him from a troubled childhood to one of the star men in Mauricio Pochettino's Tottenham side It was also belief that made him the ace in Gareth Southgate's pack as the nation started to love England again But it was a lack of said belief after that 2018 World Cup that saw him plunge from posterboy to outcast as Jose Mourinho left him out of the Spurs XI 'An older person told me that they wouldn't stop a kid on a bike, so I rode around with my football, and then underneath I'd have the drugs. While Everton boss Sean Dyche might feel like a man cut from the old-school cloth to many, he is attentive to players' needs An interview with Gary Neville's The Overlap was hard to watch but equally impossible to take your eyes off The 28-year-old has not played since that tough-to-watch but important interview, or his appearance on Sky's Monday Night Football as a studio guest If he were to sign for Everton, Mail Sport understands that Spurs would now be compensated in performance-based bonuses and also with a sell-on clause.