AC Milan defender Kyle Walker has revealed that his emotional connection to Dele Alli drove him to plead with the referee to spare his former England and Tottenham teammate from being sent off during Dele’s long-awaited debut for Como last month.
Dele, 28, came off the bench in the 81st minute of Milan’s 2-1 win over Como, marking his return to competitive football after more than two years. His last appearance had been in February 2023 during a loan spell at Besiktas from Everton.
But just 10 minutes into his return, Dele was shown a red card for a late challenge on Milan’s Ruben Loftus-Cheek. Initially booked, the punishment was upgraded after a VAR review—despite Walker's appeals.
"I think my heart kicked in," Walker said. "Anyone else, I probably would’ve just let them get sent off. But with Dele, I know how much he's been through, and how hard he's worked for this opportunity at Como. It’s the right place for him to rebuild."
Walker, 34, acknowledged the challenge wasn’t clever but insisted it didn’t deserve such a harsh consequence.
"We wanted them down to 10 men, of course," he said. "But because of my relationship with Dele, and knowing what he’s overcome—he’s been open about that publicly—I just felt it wasn’t a cynical tackle. He was hard done by."
Dele’s struggles have been well-documented. In 2023, he bravely shared that he was sexually abused as a child and later battled addiction and mental health challenges. After his dismissal, he took to social media, writing: “Two years! Not necessarily how I planned it, but we keep moving.”
He also shared a post-match message exchange with Loftus-Cheek, explaining that he only meant to "clip" the midfielder’s heel.
Walker reflected on Dele’s social media post, commenting on how modern players often feel the need to explain themselves publicly.
"That’s just the world we live in now," Walker said. "Would I have done it? Maybe not. But Dele probably felt it was important to show the fans there was no bad intent. He wanted to say sorry."
Walker Eyes England Century
Speaking on a podcast with Michael Brown, Walker also touched on his international career, celebrating his recent 95th cap during England’s World Cup qualifiers against Latvia and Albania.
"100 caps is getting close now—that’s a huge goal for me," he said. "When I first started under Capello, I told myself 25 would be a great achievement. Then you pass that, and you aim for 50."
Walker recalled a difficult stretch when he was stuck on 49 caps after a red card and a 16-month absence from the squad.
"At the time, I thought that might be it. But I came back, got my 50th, and just kept going."
Only one Black player—Ashley Cole with 107—has reached 100 caps for the England men’s team, a milestone Walker now has firmly in his sights.