Premier League footballer Dele Alli has spoken out after armed robbers burst into his house, held him at knife point and punched him in the face – describing it as a ‘horrible experience’.
The Tottenham and England star was targeted by masked raiders who broke into his £2million north London mansion and attacked him in the early hours of Wednesday morning.
It is the third time top footballers have been targeted in the area in ten months – including fellow Spurs and Belgium star Jan Vertonghen whose home was targeted in March.
Robbers demanded the 24-year-old England ace hand over valuables during the raid at his property, near Barnet, where he has been isolating with girlfriend Ruby Mae, his brother Harry Hickford, Harry’s partner and a long-term friend.
The footballer and his housemates were reportedly playing pool when the balaclava-clad robbers burst into the house.
The masked men stole valuables, including two watches, it has been reported.
Now the Spurs star has taken to Twitter to thank those who shared messages of support.
Dele Alli (pictured with girldfriend Ruby Mae) was held at knifepoint and punched after robbers broke into his house
Two males broke into the back of Alli’s north London property just after midnight – where his brother, Harry Hickford, has also been staying
Robbers targeted Dele Alli at his north London home and stole items of jewellery including two watches. Pictured: Dele Alli wearing one of the watches which is believed to have been stolen
Robbers demanded Alli hand over valuables during the raid at his property, near Barnet, where he has been isolating with girlfriend Ruby Mae, his brother Harry Hickford, Harry’s partner and a long-term friend. Pictured: One of the watches that was reportedly stolen
He said: ‘Thank you for all the messages. Horrible experience but we’re all okay now. Appreciate the support.’
As Sportsmail exclusively revealed, the Tottenham and England midfielder was ‘thumped in the face’ during the ordeal but did not suffer serious injury.
Two males wearing balaclavas broke into the back of the property before threatening the Spurs star.
Following a scuffle, during which Alli suffered a minor facial injury, the two culprits took various items including jewellery and watches before fleeing.
The 24-year-old’s property is covered by CCTV and the footage has been passed on to the police, who have opened an investigation.
The player and his model girlfriend Ruby Mae, who is 23, have been together since early 2016.
She was by his side at the Euros that summer and the 2018 World Cup in Russia before they split for a short time early last year.
The Spurs star was thumped in the face during the ordeal but did not suffer serious injuries – the 24-year-old’s property is covered by CCTV and the footage has been passed on to police
They were back together by last summer with Alli reportedly flying Ruby out to Madrid for the Champions League final between Tottenham and Liverpool at the start of June.
As a youngster, Alli moved in with the Hickford family following a difficult upbringing.
Alli and his Spurs team-mates are expected to return to training at the start of next week as the Premier League work towards a June 12 restart date.
A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police said: ‘Police were called at approximately 00:35hrs on Wednesday, 13 May to reports of a robbery at a residential address in Barnet.
‘Two males gained entry to the property and stole items of jewellery, including watches, before fleeing.
‘One male occupant of the property, aged in his 20s, suffered a minor facial injury after being assaulted. He did not require hospital treatment.
‘No arrests; enquiries into the circumstances continue.’
The latest incident is the third time in ten months that a football has been targeted by raiders in north London.
Alli’s team-mate Jan Vertonghen fell victim to burglars earlier this year.
The Belgian’s wife and young family were at their home, in Hampstead when four men broke in armed with knives, demanding cash and jewellery.
The 32-year-old was in Leipzig at the time for the second leg of the Champions League last 16 tie, which Spurs lost 3-0.
In July last year, Arsenal stars Mesut Ozil and Sead Kolasinac were chased for a mile by knife-wielding motorbike riders in an attempted daylight car-jacking in north London.
Sead Kolasinac (muzzed by police) turns to face the moped gang trying to rob him and Mesut Ozil for their £200,000 watches and didn’t flinch as he tried to beat them up despite the knife
The masked men appeared ready to stab the Arsenal star but police today praised the footballer and said the robbers ‘didn’t bargain for him fighting back’
Kolasinac can be seen darting from the front end of the car to the rear as he faces off the assailants while protecting the passenger side door of the SUV
Mesut Ozil (dyed blonde hair) was pictured talking to officers outside Turkish restaurant Likya on Golders Green Road in north London after the attack
Ozil, a £350,000-a-week midfielder, was ambushed by the robbers as he drove his black Mercedes G-Class through leafy Childs Hill in Hampstead.
But as the thugs surrounded the 4×4, Ozil’s Arsenal teammate and childhood friend, Sead ‘The Tank’ Kolasinac, leapt out and bravely took them on.
Ashley Smith, 30, (pictured) pleaded guilty to trying to steal from Sead Kolasinac and Mesut Ozil. He was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment at Harrow Crown Court
But rather than that being the end of the drama, the players were then chased through the mansion-lined streets of north London in Ozil’s 4×4 in a high-speed chase that lasted for more than a mile.
Ozil sped off and overtook traffic on the wrong side of the road as ‘ninja style’ masked moped muggers gave chase before taking refuge at a Turkish restaurant.
In November, at Harrow Crown court, one of the muggers Ashley Smith, 30, was jailed for 10 years after pleading guilty to his part in the ‘quick and violent’ attempted robbery.
Smith, 30 – who was described by judge Ian Bourne QC as a prolific ‘career criminal’ who was well known to police – was out on licence for a 42-month sentence for burglary in 2017 when he tried to carry out the street robbery on the Arsenal stars.
Accomplice Jordan Northover, 26, also admitted attempting to rob the two Arsenal footballers at Harrow Crown Court. He is yet to be sentenced.