Trent Alexander-Arnold facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Trent Alexander-Arnold

Alexander-Arnold with England at the 2018 FIFA World Cup
Personal information
Full name	Trent John Alexander-Arnold
Date of birth	(1998-10-07) 7 October 1998 (age 26)
Place of birth	Liverpool, England
Height	5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Position(s)	Right-back, midfielder
Team information
Current team	Real Madrid
Number	12
Youth career
2004–2016	Liverpool
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2016–2025	Liverpool	259	(18)
2025–	Real Madrid	0	(0)
International career‡
2013–2014	England U16	6	(0)
2014–2015	England U17	12	(0)
2016	England U18	2	(0)
2016–2017	England U19	10	(6)
2017–2018	England U21	3	(0)
2018–	England	34	(4)
Medal record Men's football Representing  England UEFA European Championship Runner-up 2024 UEFA Nations League Third 2019
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 18:02, 25 May 2025 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 18:55, 8 June 2025 (UTC)

Trent John Alexander-Arnold (born on 7 October 1998), often called Trent, is an English professional footballer. He plays as a right-back or midfielder for La Liga club Real Madrid and the England national team. Many people think he is one of the best right-backs in the world. He is known for his amazing passes, crosses, and setting up goals for his teammates. He is also great at taking set-pieces, like free kicks and corners. Because of these skills, he sometimes plays as a midfielder for both his club and country.

Trent Alexander-Arnold joined Liverpool's youth team, called the academy, in 2004. He was a captain for the club's youth teams. He played his first senior game in 2016 when he was 18. He played in two UEFA Champions League finals in a row, in 2018 and 2019. He won the second one and was chosen for the Champions League Squad of the Season. This made him the youngest player to start in two Champions League finals in a row. In the same year, he won the UEFA Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup.

In English football, Alexander-Arnold was named the PFA Young Player of the Year and the first Premier League Young Player of the Season for the 2019–20 season. He was also picked for the PFA Team of the Year three times. He helped Liverpool win the 2019–20 Premier League title, which was their first league title in 30 years. His success in 2020 led to him being chosen for the FIFA FIFPRO Men's World 11, which is a team of the best players in the world. In the 2021–22 season, he won two domestic cups: the EFL Cup and the FA Cup. In 2025, after helping Liverpool win their second Premier League title, Alexander-Arnold moved to the Spanish club Real Madrid.

Alexander-Arnold also played for England's youth teams. He made his debut for the senior England team in 2018. He played in the 2018 FIFA World Cup, where he was only the fourth teenager to start a game for England in that tournament. He also played in the 2018–19 UEFA Nations League, where England finished third. He was also part of the squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Early Life and Football Journey

Trent John Alexander-Arnold was born on 7 October 1998 in Liverpool, England. When he was six years old, his local football club, Liverpool, held a special camp. Trent was one of the children chosen to attend. There, a coach named Ian Barrigan noticed his talent. He then invited Trent to join the club's academy.

Trent started training two or three times a week. He played in many different positions. He later became captain of the club's Under-16 and Under-18 teams. When he was 14, he moved to Rainhill High School, which works closely with Liverpool FC.

While in Liverpool's academy, Alexander-Arnold changed from being a wide midfielder to a right-back. This position gave him the best chance to play for the first team. He did very well in this new role. Even former Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard praised him in his book, saying Trent had a bright future. Because he was improving so quickly, he was chosen to play for the first team in a friendly game against Swindon Town in 2015. This was his first unofficial game for the club.

Club Career Highlights

Liverpool Success Story

Starting Strong: 2016–17 Season

Alexander-Arnold playing for Liverpool U18 in 2016

Trent Alexander-Arnold had already been on Liverpool's pre-season tour in the United States. He made his first professional appearance on 25 October 2016. He started in a 2–1 win against Tottenham Hotspur in the EFL Cup. He got a yellow card in the first half but his performance was still good. He was even named in the EFL Cup Team of the Round.

In November, Alexander-Arnold signed a new long-term contract. He then started in Liverpool's next EFL Cup match against Leeds United. He was named the best player of the match. He also got his first assist for the club, helping Divock Origi score the first goal in a 2–0 win. On 14 December, he made his Premier League debut. He came on as a substitute in a 3–0 win against Middlesbrough. In May, after playing 12 games, he was named Liverpool's Young Player of the Season.

First Champions League Final: 2017–18 Season

Before the 2017–18 season, the regular right-back, Nathaniel Clyne, got injured. This gave Alexander-Arnold a chance to play more. On 15 August 2017, he scored his first goal for the club from a free kick. This was in a 2–1 win against 1899 Hoffenheim in the Champions League play-off. He became the third youngest player to score on his European debut for Liverpool. He scored again in the Champions League on 17 October, in a huge 7–0 win against Maribor. This was the biggest away win ever for an English club in the competition. On 26 December, he scored his first Premier League goal in a 5–0 home win against Swansea City.

Alexander-Arnold lining up for Liverpool in 2017

In March 2018, Alexander-Arnold faced some tough games against strong wingers. But he kept his place in the team. He became the youngest English player to start in a Champions League quarter-final. He played very well in a 3–0 win against Manchester City in April. People praised him for stopping City's winger, Leroy Sané. He also played well in the second game against Manchester City, helping Liverpool win 5–1 overall and reach the semi-finals.

On 10 May 2018, he won the Liverpool Young Player of the Season award for the second year in a row. Later that month, he became the youngest Liverpool player to start in a Champions League final. He played against Real Madrid and did a good job marking Cristiano Ronaldo. Liverpool lost the final 3–1. He played 33 games that season and scored three goals. He was also nominated for the Golden Boy award, finishing second.

Becoming a Star: 2018–19 Season

At the start of the next season, he played his 50th game for Liverpool against Tottenham. In October, he was nominated for the first Kopa Trophy, an award for the best young player under 21. He continued to show his talent and was often called the world's most valuable full-back. On 27 February 2019, he became the youngest player (at 20 years and 143 days old) to get three assists in one Premier League game. He set up two goals for Sadio Mané and one for Virgil van Dijk in a 5–0 win against Watford.

Less than two months later, he played his 50th Premier League game for the club. He was one of the youngest players to reach this milestone for Liverpool. His great form led to him being nominated for the PFA Young Player of the Year award. He was also named in the PFA Team of the Year along with three of his Liverpool teammates.

Alexander-Arnold during Liverpool's victory parade after winning the 2019 UEFA Champions League final

In May, Alexander-Arnold showed his amazing passing skills again. In a 3–2 win against Newcastle United, he got two assists, which tied the Premier League record for most assists by a defender in a season (11). He and Andy Robertson became the first two defenders from the same team to get double-digit assists in one season. Three days later, in the Champions League semi-final against Barcelona, Liverpool was losing 3–0 from the first game. Alexander-Arnold made two more assists, including a very clever corner kick that led to Divock Origi's winning goal. This helped Liverpool win 4–3 overall and reach their second Champions League final in a row.

On the last day of the Premier League season, Alexander-Arnold assisted Mané in a 2–0 win against Wolverhampton Wanderers. This broke the Premier League record for most assists by a defender in a season, with 12. He then started in the Champions League Final, which Liverpool won 2–0 against Tottenham. He became the youngest player to start in two Champions League finals in a row. He was also named in the competition's Team of the Season.

Winning the Premier League: 2019–20 Season

Alexander-Arnold started the 2019–20 season as Liverpool's main right-back. He assisted Origi's goal in the first game, a 4–1 win against Norwich City. This made him one of only eight players in the Premier League to get an assist in five games in a row. He also played in Liverpool's win over Chelsea in the UEFA Super Cup, where he scored a penalty. He scored his first goal of the season in a 2–1 league win against Chelsea. The next month, he was nominated for the 2019 Ballon d'Or award, which is for the best player in the world.

On 2 November, at 21 years old, he became the fourth-youngest player to play 100 games for Liverpool. He marked this by assisting Mané's winning goal in a 2–1 victory over Aston Villa. A month later, he was voted the 19th-best player in the world at the Ballon d'Or ceremony, the highest-ranked full-back. He then played in the FIFA Club World Cup for the first time. He provided the winning assist for Roberto Firmino in the semi-final. Three days later, he played the whole game as Liverpool won the Club World Cup for the first time, beating Flamengo 1–0 after extra time.

After returning from Qatar, Liverpool won 4–0 against Leicester City. Alexander-Arnold was involved in all four goals, scoring one, assisting two, and winning a penalty. He was later given the Premier League Player of the Month award. He was also named in the 2019 UEFA Team of the Year. Alexander-Arnold then helped Liverpool win 2–1 against Wolves, extending their unbeaten league run to 40 games. He assisted captain Jordan Henderson's goal, becoming the first defender in Premier League history to get double-digit assists in more than one season.

In February, he matched his assist record from the season before. He reached 25 assists in the Premier League, becoming the third-youngest player to do so. The season was paused because of the COVID-19 pandemic. When it restarted, Alexander-Arnold helped Liverpool win their first league title in 30 years. He then broke his own assist record on the second-to-last day of the season, setting up Firmino in a 5–3 win against Chelsea. For his great play, he won the first Premier League Young Player of the Season award and the PFA Young Player of the Year award. He was also named in the PFA Team of the Year.

Continued Success and Milestones: 2020–21 and 2021–22 Seasons

Alexander-Arnold continued to be a key player for Liverpool in the 2020–21 season. On 9 December, he became the youngest player to captain the club in a European competition. Later that month, he was named in the 2020 FIFA FIFPro Men's World 11.

Alexander-Arnold playing for Liverpool in 2021

His form improved later in the season. He was praised for his game-winning performances against Arsenal and Aston Villa, scoring the winning goal in the 90th minute against Aston Villa. He also got two assists in wins against Manchester United and West Bromwich Albion. His 94th-minute corner kick against West Brom was headed in by goalkeeper Alisson, which helped Liverpool qualify for the next season's Champions League.

On 30 July 2021, Alexander-Arnold signed a new long-term contract with Liverpool. On 16 December, he scored Liverpool's third goal in a 3–1 win against Newcastle United with a powerful shot from 25 yards. This was Liverpool's 2,000th top-flight win, a first for an English club. In May 2022, after Liverpool beat Chelsea in the 2022 FA Cup Final, Alexander-Arnold became the youngest player ever to win six major trophies for an English club. He achieved this at 23 years old. He finished 22nd in the 2022 Ballon d'Or voting. Liverpool almost won a historic four trophies that season, but finished second in the Premier League and lost the Champions League final to Real Madrid. Alexander-Arnold was chosen for the Champions League Team of the Season.

New Role and Vice-Captaincy: 2022–23 and 2023–24 Seasons

After a period where the team's form was not as good, Liverpool's manager, Jürgen Klopp, changed Alexander-Arnold's position slightly. He played in an "inverted full-back" role, which meant he moved closer to the midfield when Liverpool had the ball. This change helped him get more of the ball and play further up the field. This new role helped both him and the team improve. On 17 April 2023, Alexander-Arnold made his 50th Premier League assist in a win against Leeds United. On 30 April 2023, he became the first player to assist a goal in five Premier League matches in a row, twice. However, Liverpool just missed out on qualifying for the UEFA Champions League at the end of the 2022–23 season.

On 31 July 2023, Alexander-Arnold was named Liverpool's new vice-captain, working alongside captain Virgil van Dijk. On 25 November 2023, he scored his first goal of the 2023–24 season, an equalizer against Manchester City in a 1–1 draw. On 7 January 2024, he injured his knee during a match against Arsenal and was out for about three weeks. On 10 February, he assisted a goal against Burnley, making him the defender with the most assists in Premier League history, passing his teammate Andy Robertson.

Second Premier League Title and Moving On: 2024–25 Season

On 17 August 2024, Alexander-Arnold started at right-back in Arne Slot's first game as Liverpool manager, a 2–0 win over Ipswich Town. In a 3–3 draw against Newcastle United, Alexander-Arnold came on as a substitute and provided two assists. This made him the first defender in Premier League history to reach 60 assists. On 29 December, he scored his first goal of the season in a 5–0 away win at West Ham United.

On 11 January 2025, Alexander-Arnold captained Liverpool and scored a goal in their 4–0 FA Cup win against Accrington Stanley. On 11 March, he got an ankle injury in Liverpool's 1–0 loss to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League. This injury made him miss four games, including the 2025 EFL Cup final, which Liverpool lost. He returned to the team on 20 April 2025, playing his 350th game for the club. Five minutes later, he scored the only goal of the match, bringing Liverpool very close to winning their 20th English league title. On 5 May 2025, eight days after winning the Premier League title, Alexander-Arnold announced he would leave Liverpool at the end of the season, after being with the club for 20 years.

Joining Real Madrid

On 30 May 2025, the Spanish club Real Madrid announced they had signed Alexander-Arnold on a six-year contract. Real Madrid paid Liverpool a fee to sign him before his contract expired on 30 June. This allowed him to play for the club in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup. He became the seventh English player to join Real Madrid in the modern era. On 11 June, he was officially introduced as a new Real Madrid player. Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez welcomed him and gave him the club's famous white shirt with the number 12. He also changed the name on the back of his shirt from 'Alexander-Arnold' to 'Trent' to make it easier for Spanish fans.

On 18 June 2025, Alexander-Arnold played his first game for Real Madrid. It was a group stage match against Al-Hilal in the FIFA Club World Cup, which ended in a 1–1 draw. Four days later, Real Madrid got their first win under their new coach Xabi Alonso, beating Pachuca. Alexander-Arnold provided a cross that led to a goal by Arda Güler. On 1 July, he got his first assist for Real Madrid, setting up Gonzalo García's winning goal in a 1–0 win against Juventus in the round of 16.

International Career for England

Youth Teams

Alexander-Arnold played for England at different youth levels. He was part of the team at the 2015 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Chile. He also scored three goals for the England U19 team. These goals included two against Croatia and one against Spain, which helped England qualify for the 2017 UEFA European Under-19 Championship. He did not play in the tournament itself because Liverpool wanted him to rest before the next season. However, England went on to win the tournament, beating Portugal in the final. The month after the tournament, he was called up to the England U21 team for the first time. He made his debut in a 3–0 win against Latvia. After two more games with the U21 team, he was promoted to the senior England team.

Senior Team

Alexander-Arnold with England at the 2018 FIFA World Cup

In March 2018, Alexander-Arnold was invited to train with the senior national team for the first time. He received his first call-up to the main squad in May 2018 for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. His debut came on 7 June 2018, when he started in a 2–0 friendly win against Costa Rica. Before the match, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge gave him his jersey. Alexander-Arnold then made his World Cup debut on 28 June, starting in a 1–0 loss to Belgium. He was only the fourth teenager to start a match for England at a World Cup. This was his only appearance in the tournament, as Kieran Trippier was preferred at right-back.

On 15 November 2018, Alexander-Arnold scored his first goal for the senior international team in a friendly game against the United States. England won 3–0. At 20 years old, he became the youngest Liverpool player since Michael Owen in 1999 to score for the national team. In June 2019, he was part of the England squad that finished third in the first UEFA Nations League. He played the full match in a penalty shoot-out win against Switzerland. Two years later, he was named in England's squad for UEFA Euro 2020. However, he had to withdraw eight days before the tournament because of a thigh injury.

On 10 November 2022, he was named in England's squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. He made one appearance in the group stage against Wales.

On 16 June 2023, Alexander-Arnold scored a long-range goal in a 4–0 win against Malta in the UEFA Euro 2024 qualifiers. He was praised for his excellent play. He played in a similar attacking midfield role in the next game and was also highly praised.

On 3 June 2024, in a warm-up match for Euro 2024 against Bosnia and Herzegovina, Alexander-Arnold scored his third England goal and was named Player of the Match in a 3–0 win. Three days later, he was named in England's squad for UEFA Euro 2024. He was listed as a midfielder and given the number 8 shirt.

Alexander-Arnold started England's first Euro 2024 match, playing in central midfield with Declan Rice. England beat Serbia 1–0. He played 69 minutes before being replaced. He also started the second match against Denmark. In the quarter-final against Switzerland, Alexander-Arnold came on as a substitute in extra time and scored England's winning penalty in the shootout.

Player Profile

How He Plays

Trent Alexander-Arnold is known for his amazing passing, crossing, and setting up goals. He is considered one of the best right-backs in the world. He is great at making early crosses and delivering the ball from set-pieces. He has a wide range of passes because he played as a midfielder when he was younger. He has been one of Liverpool's main players for free kicks and corners since the 2017–18 season. His way of taking set-pieces, which involves taking three steps back and one to the right, has been compared to rugby player Jonny Wilkinson. People like Gary Lineker and Cesc Fàbregas have praised his cleverness from deadball situations. For example, he assisted the winning goal in the 2018–19 Champions League semi-final by taking a quick corner while the other team wasn't ready.

Under Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp, the team's full-backs were very important for creating chances. Alexander-Arnold played mostly on the right side. His runs forward, ability to switch the play, accurate crosses, and hard work in tracking back made him a key part of the team's fast-paced style of play.

What People Say About Him

World Cup winner Cafu has praised Alexander-Arnold, calling him "a sensational player, a rare talent." He added, "He's technically brilliant, he has so much quality. He has a Brazilian style of play. I love watching him play." Lionel Messi has called him "impressive" and said, "He is the future, a full-back who is impressive going forward." Former Manchester United defender Gary Neville said, "He's the best passer of a ball at right-back that I've ever seen. He's David Beckham and Kevin De Bruyne at right-back."

Alexander-Arnold has sometimes been criticized for his defending. However, in the 2020–21 and 2022–23 seasons, his defensive stats were actually better than other English right-backs like Reece James and Kyle Walker. His manager, Jürgen Klopp, has defended him strongly, saying, "If anyone says Trent can't defend, they should come to me and I'll knock them down. I cannot hear that anymore!"

Giving Back to the Community

Outside of football, Alexander-Arnold helps as an ambassador for a charity in Liverpool called An Hour for Others. This charity helps people in need with things like food, toys, and lessons. He has supported the charity since his mother introduced him to it when he was a teenager. When he was in Liverpool's academy, he and a teammate promised to support the charity if they became professional footballers.

His charity work goes beyond this. In March 2019, after signing a new sponsorship deal with Under Armour, he planned to buy land in Liverpool. He wanted to use the money to build new football pitches for the community.

In April 2020, Alexander-Arnold worked with Under Armour to support doctors, nurses, and other essential workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. They provided over 2,000 products for workers at the Royal Liverpool University Hospital.

He also supports the Black Lives Matter movement. He wore special boots with the phrase on them and then auctioned them off to raise money for the Nelson Mandela Foundation. He raised £27,000, and the boots were later shown in the National Football Museum in Manchester and the FIFA Museum in Zurich.

In April 2023, he started "The After Academy." This project, funded by Alexander-Arnold for five years, helps former academy footballers. It provides training and job opportunities both in and out of football for players who didn't make it to the professional level. He runs this with the help of the PFA and his sponsors, Red Bull, Under Armour, and Therabody.

Personal Life

Mural of Alexander-Arnold in 2022

Trent Alexander-Arnold is the nephew of John Alexander, who was a footballer for Reading and Millwall, and also a club secretary for Manchester United. His grandmother was once in a relationship with former Manchester United manager, Alex Ferguson. Because of his grandmother, Alexander-Arnold could have played for the United States before he played for England. He has two brothers: Tyler, who is four years older and is his agent, and Marcel, who is three years younger. He has Scottish and American family roots.

He also loves playing chess. His father taught him the game when he was young. In 2018, he played a special game against the world champion Magnus Carlsen. The game was part of a campaign to promote chess. Alexander-Arnold lost after seventeen moves. He later said that chess helped him in his football career by teaching him to think "two or three moves ahead of the opposition."

Alexander-Arnold is good friends with his England and Real Madrid teammate Jude Bellingham.

In 2023, Alexander-Arnold joined an investment group for the Alpine racing team in Formula One.

Career Statistics

Club Appearances

International Appearances

England score listed first, score column indicates score after each Alexander-Arnold goal

List of international goals scored by Trent Alexander-Arnold

No.	Date	Venue	Cap	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition	Ref.
1	15 November 2018	Wembley Stadium, London, England	5	United States	2–0	3–0	Friendly
2	16 June 2023	National Stadium, Ta' Qali, Malta	19	Malta	2–0	4–0	UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying
3	3 June 2024	St James' Park, Newcastle upon Tyne, England	24	Bosnia and Herzegovina	2–0	3–0	Friendly
4	13 October 2024	Helsinki Olympic Stadium, Helsinki, Finland	33	Finland	2–0	3–1	2024–25 UEFA Nations League B

Honours and Awards

Liverpool

• Premier League: 2019–20, 2024–25
• FA Cup: 2021–22
• EFL Cup: 2021–22
• FA Community Shield: 2022
• UEFA Champions League: 2018–19
• UEFA Super Cup: 2019
• FIFA Club World Cup: 2019

England

• UEFA European Championship runner-up: 2024
• UEFA Nations League third place: 2018–19

Individual Awards

• Liverpool Young Player of the Season: 2016–17, 2017–18
• PFA Team of the Year: 2018–19 Premier League, 2019–20 Premier League, 2021–22 Premier League
• UEFA Champions League Team of the Season: 2018–19, 2021–22
• Premier League Player of the Month: December 2019, November 2021
• IFFHS Men's World Team: 2019, 2020
• UEFA Team of the Year: 2019
• PFA Young Player of the Year: 2019–20
• Premier League Young Player of the Season: 2019–20
• ESM Team of the Year: 2019–20, 2021–22
• FIFA FIFPro World11: 2020
• The Athletic Premier League Team of the Season: 2024–25

See also

In Spanish: Trent Alexander-Arnold para niños