- Alexander-Arnold stated he will depart from Liverpool early next month.
- For the first time, this 26-year-old has been introduced as a Real Madrid player.
- Register with DAZN to catch the Club World Cup matches.
Trent Alexander-Arnold has disclosed why he chose to display just his first name on the back of his jersey at Real Madrid.
Alexander-Arnold, who was signed by Los Blancos for £10million from Liverpool was eventually introduced as a Galactico on Thursday afternoon, after months of ambiguity surrounding his future.
Before his presentation, the 26-year-old went on a tour of Real Madrid's premises, during which he was shown some of the team's latest amenities. Champions League trophy haul – including two that were taken away from him during his time with Liverpool.
The full-back subsequently captured moments in front of the trophy, showing him confidently displaying his new colors for the initial time. Liverpool’s ex-vice captain has been assigned the squad number 12 and will go by just 'Trent.'
Many in the football community have been curious about why Alexander-Arnold opted to remove his surname from the rear of his jersey. Now, the England international has explained why.
'A fairly simple explanation,' he told the press. 'Whenever I visit Europe, I notice that many folks get confused due to the prevalence of triple-barreled names like Alexander-Arnold.'
' folks refer to me as Arnold, they also call me Alexander, some say Alex, and occasionally Trent, life sure has many facets.'
'I figured we should keep it simple. Put Trent at the backend; he'll just go by Trent, since that’s his name and how everyone will refer to him.'
After showcasing his early photos, Alexander-Arnold received an invitation from President Florentino Perez to address the audience for the first time as a Madrid player, with his model girlfriend Estelle Behnke and family present in the stands.
Considering he has dedicated his entire career to Merseyside, most people anticipated that Alexander-Arnold would begin his address in English, perhaps followed by a few halting phrases in Spanish towards the conclusion.
Nevertheless, numerous people were taken aback as the ex-Liverpool vice-captain delivered his whole speech in Spanish, expressing that joining the club with fifteen European titles is like living a dream.
'I appreciate Florentino Perez and the club for providing me with this chance,' stated the full-back in perfect Spanish. 'Such opportunities do not come around often,' he added.
It’s like a dream has become reality. I’m extremely delighted and filled with pride at being here. My aim is to demonstrate to the Real Madrid supporters what kind of player I am. While I understand that joining Real Madrid comes with significant expectations, I intend to put forth my absolute best effort for both the club and its fanbase.
'I want to show those fans how I play. I want to win many titles. I want to be a winner here and enjoy playing alongside the best players in the world at Madrid.'
Alexander-Arnold has signed a six-year contract with Los Blancos after leaving Liverpool prematurely this month to participate in the Club World Cup, which starts on Sunday.
He declared his choice to depart from Merseyside following twenty years during the start of May, just one week subsequent to Arne Slot’s team clinching their 20th league championship against Tottenham Hotspur.
When questioned regarding his choice to depart from his hometown and start anew in Madrid, Alexander-Arnold—who has been rather reticent over the past year—explained just how difficult it was for him to part ways with the Reds.
'Where wasn’t really the issue—it was more about deciding whether to depart at all,' he went on. 'However, deep down, I’ve likely always been aware that if leaving Liverpool were ever an option, my choice would be Real Madrid. They’d be the sole club for me.'
It was not a simple choice as I had stayed for such a lengthy period, but ultimately you must reach a decision, and in my thoughts, I am convinced that I’ve chosen correctly.
I enjoyed each moment thoroughly and accomplished all my goals. The club will always have a special place in my heart.
'However, I believed it was the perfect time since I had spent 20 years in my current place, accomplished all my goals, and at my age, I consider myself seasoned and skilled enough to thrive elsewhere.'
In our recent discussions with the owners over the past few days, they expressed their gratitude for my contributions to the club, wished me all the best moving forward, and mentioned that I would always be welcomed back. It was concluded perfectly this way.
Alexander-Arnold played for Liverpool more than 350 times during his nine-year tenure with the first team, netting 27 goals across various competitions and contributing an impressive 96 assists for the club.
However, this is the moment for 'Trent' to embark on a fresh chapter in his career, beginning with the forthcoming Club World Cup, from which Slot’s team is absent.
The competition, set to include both Manchester City and Chelsea, kicks off on Sunday.
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