 At around the age of 11 his family moved to England, continuing his schooling at University College School.He was a keen sportsman, and although he was a member of Blackheath F.C., he was not a player of note and his career was ended by a foot injury followed by a long sojourn to Germany.De Lissa also played croquet and won the Croquet Association Silver Medal in 1909, and was selected as one of the country's ten best players when he was entered for the Beddow Cup in 1923.