Lothar Matthaus believes Dele Alli will be a pivotal player for England at Euro2016.

The German legend, who won the 1980 Euros as a teenager, is well aware what the Tottenham youngster will be going through on the eve of this summer's tournament in France.

Matthaus was a virtual no-name when he was selected for Italy '80 but went on to play a key role as Die Mannschaft, then playing as West Germany, went on to defeat Belgium in Rome.

In a column for The Sun, 55-year-old Matthaus discussed what Alli might possibly be going through right now but backed the 20-year-old to rise above the potential provocation and mature throughout the tournament to guide the Three Lions far in France.

"I know what Dele Alli will be feeling this morning," wrote the former Borussia Monchengladbach, Bayern Munich and Inter Milan star.

"Why? Because I was in his boots, 19 years of age, in 1980. I hadn't even made my debut for Germany before that tournament kicked off in Italy.

"Only a year before those finals I was playing in the fourth division in Germany, then I moved to Monchengladbach.

"But that's where the similarities end. I was playing for a village team. And while Dele has only been in the Premier League with Tottenham for a year, he has been a professional, in his thinking, for far longer.

"I watched him in that game against Germany in Berlin and I could see, straight away, he is a great player.

"He seems instinctively to get into the right position, knows what he has to do with the ball, when and where to give it, so I'm sure he will not be nervous.

"The only question over him is his temperament.

"He missed the last three games of the season because of suspension and he cannot afford to make a mistake like that in the Euros.

"But he knows that and I think he is learning. I watched the friendlies with Turkey and Portugal and he didn't react when they tried to rile him. That was a good sign.

"These days the quality and the mentality of the players is better."