Tottenham Hotspur’s Dele Alli believes Jermain Defoe has earned legendary status within the game.
Alli was just four years old when Defoe made his West Ham United debut in a League Cup tie at Wallsall, but the striker’s continued excellence at the top has seen the duo become England team-mates.
On Saturday both started as England continued the road to Russia with a 2-0 win over Lithuania, with the Sunderland striker finding the net just 21 minutes into his Wembley return.
And speaking post-match, Alli declared Defoe a ‘legend’.
"He is a fantastic player, he is a legend in my eyes,” Alli told reporters following England’s win.
“For him to come out and get a goal is big for him and big for the team as well.”
He continued: “He is still fighting for a place in the England squad.
“For us younger players to see a player come back into the team, stepping up and getting a goal, it is a massive thing for us.
"He was one of those players who you hear a lot about, you watch him and he scores a lot of goals.
“I think some people forget how many goals he has scored and what a legend he is.”
