‘I know my level’ – Dele Alli responds to question on Everton future and targets England spot at 2026 World Cup

Dele Alli is targeting a place in England’s squad for the 2026 World Cup as he targets a return to top-flight football.

The midfielder faces an uncertain future at Everton as he enters the final months of his contract at Goodison Park.

Alli captured the hearts from the world of football last summer as he revealed his heartbreaking experiences that left him struggling with mental health issues.

While admitting “there is light at the end of the tunnel” after saying he “feels good” at the moment, a serious groin injury has prevented him from reviving his football career.

The 28-year-old has not featured at all for Everton this season and with just weeks to go until the end of the campaign, that means his future at Goodison Park is far from certain.

Asked about his future on Monday Night Football, Alli said: “I talked about it in my interview and I don’t want to go into it too much – but I know my level as a player and what I can achieve.

“I know how good I can be when my head is in the right place and I feel good. Obviously I’m disappointed with my injury right now, but I can’t wait to start playing.

“It’s hard for me to even watch football. It’s been tough for me, I would say, the last eight months have been tough to watch.

When asked if he would like to get back to the level he was at before, Alli replied: “I hope so.

“You know you can set reminders on your phone. I have a reminder every day at 11 a.m. that says “World Cup 2026.” That’s my goal for now.

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“I think people will say ‘he hasn’t played for a year’ but I don’t care, I know my level.

“The only goal I have at the moment is the World Cup. Obviously I’m injured and under contract with Everton and so my mindset is to take it day by day and make sure my injury is healed and I’m in the best possible condition after the summer.

“It’s annoying because I’ll be training fully at the end of the season, so that means I won’t have to rush.”

Discussing potential interest from the Premier League, Alli said: “I’m signed to Everton, so I think it would be disrespectful to say anything else while I’m here.

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“They’ve been so amazing to me and I don’t know if it’s not possible to be here next season, so I won’t talk about all that because they’ve been amazing and I don’t know the details of the situation but I want to stay in the Premier League, be at the highest level and play against the best players.

He added: “It’s exciting. Some players might panic and think, ‘I’ll be out of contract this summer,’ but this is a great opportunity to show myself and what an incredible story this has been and what it’s going to continue to be.

“Experiencing this just means that when I get back to the top it will be even better, so I just want to get there.”