"I miss the glory days of playing with SON." Son Heung-min's old best friend, Ali, visited Tottenham Stadium and made a "sea of tears." "Thank you so much."

*This content was translated by AI.

Son Heung-min (34, LA FC)'s former Tottenham teammate Dele Alli (30, Como) visited his former team Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to stimulate fans' tears.

Britain's "The Sun" reported on the 28th (local time) that "Ali sent a heartfelt thank you to Tottenham's club and fans, moving local fans."

Ali, who left Tottenham, who had been involved for seven years in 2022, made a surprise appearance at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on the 22nd, where the "North London Derby" against Arsenal was held. He made a special return after having a brilliant heyday in his early days as one of the world's best midfielders.

On this day, Tottenham and Ali released various contents containing behind-the-scenes stories of their visit. The club thanked Ali for his past dedication through interviews, but Ali rather gave credit to the fans and showed a humble attitude.

Ali said, "I have to thank you more," adding, "The love and support I felt from the fans throughout my time at Tottenham was like a dream. Rather than thanking me, I should thank you first," he said.

Ali's warm message touched the hearts of fans even more, as Tottenham is currently going through a difficult period, including a battle for relegation. Local fans poured out overwhelming emotions on social media (SNS), such as "I didn't want to cry like this since Friday," and "Thank you Tottenham, I'm crying again."

Ali, a former England international, was also thrilled with his unwavering hospitality. He said, "I often watch videos of fans calling my name online. "I feel like I have a very special bond with my fans, so I get emotional sometimes," he said.

He continued, "I am a person who originally likes to entertain people. "I projected a lot of Tottenham's motto, 'Practice is a challenge,' into my personality, and it was easy to form a consensus because that's who I am," he recalled.

Ali performed brilliantly, winning the English Professional Footballers Association (PFA) Young Player of the Year Award for the 2015-16 and 2016-17 seasons in a row and being named the English Premier League (EPL) Team of the Year. However, due to poor form, he moved to Everton in January 2022 and was released on loan from Besiktas amid frequent injuries. He later joined Italian Serie A club Como, but played in only one game and tackled Ruben Loftus-Cheek, leaving him to be sent off just minutes later.

He also had a hard time both inside and outside of football. Ali had confessed in an interview in 2023 to his shocking past that he was sexually abused as a child and forced to trade drugs at the age of eight. He also confessed that he had been rehabilitated for six weeks due to sleeping pill addiction and mental health problems after the end of Besiktas' lease, causing fans to feel sorry for him.

At that time, Son Heung-min also left a message of encouragement for Ali's courageous confession. The two spent seven seasons together at Tottenham, boasting fantastic chemistry and friendship before Ali fell into a slump. Son Heung-min said on his SNS, "Your courageous words will help many people. I'm proud of you, my friend."

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*This content was translated by AI.