Steven Gerrard tells Dele Alli to "embrace the moment"

Dele Alli misses the chance to nab the winner during the international friendly between Germany and England on March 26, 2016
© Getty Images
Former Liverpool and England captain Steven Gerrard tells Dele Alli to enjoy his success while it lasts, warning that things will get tougher as time goes by.

Former England captain Steven Gerrard has urged Dele Alli to make the most of his meteoric rise to the national team.

The 19-year-old was playing League One football with MK Dons just last year, but has established himself as a key player for Tottenham Hotspur and England this term with a string of impressive performances.

Gerrard hopes that the youngster maintains that form for as long as possible, but warned that things will get more difficult as time goes by.

"If I could offer one piece of advice to Dele Alli and the England youngsters vying for a European Championship spot it's this: embrace the moment because now it's going to get really tough," the Liverpool legend told The Telegraph.

"Alli has earned all the praise coming his way, particularly after such a mature performance against Germany. What I would say to him – and this is something he might not realise until later in his career – is keep that mindset as long as you can because playing football is never more enjoyable or less stressful than when you first come to the fore.

"When you make an impact at an early age for club and country it feels like everything is going your way and the whole world is on your side. You wish this feeling could last your whole career."

Alli was part of the Tottenham team that drew 1-1 with Gerrard's former club Liverpool at Anfield on Saturday afternoon.

Jurgen Klopp prepares for the FA Cup fourth-round replay between West Ham United and Liverpool on February 9, 2016
Read Next:
Klopp: 'We could have beaten Tottenham'
>
Related Video
Tables
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Leicester CityLeicester32209355312469
2Tottenham HotspurSpurs321711457253262
3Arsenal31177752302258
4Manchester CityMan City31166956322454
5Manchester UnitedMan Utd31158839271253
6West Ham UnitedWest Ham311312649371251
7Southampton32138114133847
8Stoke CityStoke32138113639-347
9Liverpool3012994641545
10Chelsea31111194941844
11West Bromwich AlbionWest Brom311010113037-740
12Everton30911105142938
13Bournemouth32108143854-1638
14Watford31107143036-637
15Swansea CitySwansea32910133342-937
16Crystal Palace3197153442-834
17Norwich CityNorwich3287173556-2131
18Sunderland3169163655-1927
19Newcastle UnitedNewcastle3167183158-2725
20Aston Villa3237222262-4016