Trent Alexander-Arnold, a Liverpool academy graduate, received heavy criticism from the Spanish media following a disappointing debut for Real Madrid at the Club World Cup.
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The Champions League holders were held to a draw by Al-Hilal, with both sides scoring within a rapid first-half spell—Gonzalo Garcia finding the net for Madrid, before Ruben Neves equalized from the penalty spot. ..Continue Reading
Alexander-Arnold had a shaky moment early in the match, losing possession twice in succession and being caught out of position just before Renan Lodi thought he’d scored for Al-Hilal, only for the goal to be chalked off for offside.
The full-back, who made the switch from Liverpool in a move valued at a modest fee, struggled in defense and recorded the most duels lost in the first half before Xabi Alonso took him off after just over an hour on the pitch.
Sport gave Alexander-Arnold a 5/10 for his debut and said: “Xabi Alonso positioned him inside with the ball, but he never looked comfortable or created any advantage. Physically far from his best, it wasn’t the best debut for the Englishman, who also failed to contribute offensively.”
Football Espana also rated his display 5/10 and branded his debut as underwhelming. They said: “There has been much talk about Trent Alexander-Arnold ahead of his debut, but it was an underwhelming one. He was not at his best defensively, and he struggled to make an impact in attack before being substituted.”
Goal gave the exact same rating, and said: “Not the best debut. Some of his passing was loose, and he was badly exposed defensively.”
Defensa Central, a dedicated Real Madrid website, also gave a 5/10 rating but were nicer in their analysis of Alexander-Arnold’s debut.
Alexander-Arnold addressed the media after the match and insisted he had made the right decision to leave Liverpool for Madrid.
“It’s a very proud moment for me. It’s a moment that most, if not all players, dream of at some point in their life,” Alexander-Arnold said after. “But it was very challenging to play in that heat and very different from England.
“It’s the first time I’ve moved clubs. I didn’t know what to expect and it’s a big change but I’m loving every single minute of it. In my mind and in my heart, I know that I made the right decision for me.”
