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
Date of birth	(1998-10-07) 7 October 1998 (age 26)
Place of birth	Liverpool, Merseyside, England
Height	5 feet 11 inches (1.80 m)
Playing position	Right-back, midfielder
Club information
Current club	Liverpool
Number	66
Youth career
2004–2016	Liverpool
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
2016–	Liverpool	247	(16)
National team‡
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	33	(4)
Honours Men's football Representing  England UEFA European Championship Runner-up 2024 Team UEFA Nations League Third 2019
Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 19:58, 25 January 2025 (UTC). † Appearances (Goals). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 18:55, 13 October 2024 (UTC)

Trent John Alexander-Arnold (born 7 October 1998) is an English professional footballer. He plays as a right-back or midfielder for Liverpool 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 assists. He is also great at taking set-pieces, like free kicks and corners. Because of these skills, he sometimes plays as a midfielder for his club and country.

Trent joined Liverpool's youth team in 2004. He became captain at different youth levels. He played his first senior game in 2016 when he was 18. He played in two UEFA Champions League finals in a row, winning in 2019. He was the youngest player to start in two Champions League finals. In 2019, he also won the UEFA Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup.

In England, he won the PFA Young Player of the Year award in 2019–20. He was also the first Premier League Young Player of the Season. He has been in the PFA Team of the Year three times. He helped Liverpool win the 2019–20 Premier League, ending their 30-year wait for a league title. In 2020, he was chosen for the FIFPRO#FIFA FIFPRO Men's World 11. In the 2021–22 season, he won two domestic cups: the EFL Cup and the FA Cup.

Trent has played for England at many youth levels. He made his senior debut in 2018. He played in the 2018 FIFA World Cup, becoming only the fourth teenager to start for England in the 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 and UEFA Euro 2024.

Early Life and Football Start

Trent John Alexander-Arnold was born on 7 October 1998 in Liverpool, England. He went to St Matthew's Catholic Primary School. Later, he attended St Mary's College.

When he was six, his local club, Liverpool, held a football camp. Trent was one of the kids chosen to go. An academy coach, Ian Barrigan, saw his talent there. Trent was then invited to join Liverpool's academy. He trained a few times a week, playing in different positions. He later became captain of the U16 and U18 teams. At 14, he moved to Rainhill High School, which works with Liverpool FC.

During his time in the academy, Trent changed from 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. Former Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard even said in his book that Trent had a bright future. Because he improved so quickly, Trent was picked for the first team in 2015. He played his first unofficial game against Swindon Town, which Liverpool won 2–1.

Club Career with Liverpool

Starting Out: 2016–17

Alexander-Arnold playing for Liverpool U18 in 2016

Trent 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. Even so, his performance was good enough to earn him a spot in the EFL Cup Team of the Round.

Liverpool gave Trent a new long-term contract in November. He started Liverpool's next EFL Cup game against Leeds United. He was named man of the match for his performance. He also got his first assist for the club, helping Divock Origi score. Liverpool won 2–0. On 14 December, he made his Premier League debut. He came on as a substitute in a 3–0 win over Middlesbrough. His first league start was on 15 January 2017, in a 1–1 draw with Manchester United. By May, he had played 12 games. He was named Liverpool's Young Player of the Season.

First Champions League Final: 2017–18

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

Alexander-Arnold lining up for Liverpool in 2017

In March, Trent had a tough time in games against Crystal Palace and Manchester United. But he kept his place in the team. He became the youngest English player to start a Champions League quarter-final. He played very well in a 3–0 win over Manchester City in April. People praised him for stopping City's winger Leroy Sané. He also played well in the second game, helping Liverpool win 5–1 on aggregate. This sent them to the semi-finals for the first time in 10 years. On 10 May, he won the Liverpool Young Player of the Season award again. Later that month, he became the youngest Liverpool player to start in a Champions League final. He played against Real Madrid. He played well against Cristiano Ronaldo, but Liverpool lost 3–1. After the season, he was nominated for the Golden Boy award.

Becoming a Regular and Winning the Champions League: 2018–19

At the start of the next season, Trent played his 50th game for Liverpool. It was a 2–1 win over Tottenham. In October, he was nominated for the first Kopa Trophy, an award for the best young player under 21. He finished sixth in the voting. He kept improving and was often called the world's most valuable full-back. On 27 February 2019, he became the youngest player to get three assists in one Premier League game. He helped Sadio Mané twice and Virgil van Dijk once in a 5–0 win over Watford.

Less than two months later, he played his 50th Premier League game for Liverpool. He was the fifth-youngest player to do this for the club. His great form led to a nomination for the PFA Young Player of the Year award. He was also named in the PFA Team of the Year.

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

In May, Trent showed his amazing passing skills again. In a 3–2 win over Newcastle United, he got two assists. This tied the Premier League record for most assists by a defender in a season, with 11. He and Andrew Robertson (who also had 11 assists) were the first defenders from the same team to get double-digit assists in a season. Three days later, Liverpool were losing 3–0 to Barcelona in the Champions League semi-final. Trent gave two more assists, including a quick corner for 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 league season, Trent assisted Mané in a 2–0 win over 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 later named in the competition's Team of the Season.

Winning the Premier League: 2019–20

Trent started the 2019–20 season as Liverpool's main right-back. He assisted Origi's goal in the first game, a 4–1 win over Norwich City. He became the first Liverpool player to assist in five games in a row. He also played in Liverpool's win over Chelsea in the 2019 UEFA Super Cup, scoring a penalty in the shoot-out. He scored his first goal of the season in a 2–1 league win over Chelsea. The next month, he was nominated for the 2019 Ballon d'Or award.

On 2 November, at 21 years old, he played his 100th game for Liverpool. He assisted 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. He assisted Roberto Firmino's winning goal in the semi-final. Three days later, he played the full 120 minutes as Liverpool won the tournament for the first time.

After returning from Qatar, Liverpool beat Leicester City 4–0. Trent was involved in all four goals, scoring one, assisting two, and winning a penalty. He won the Premier League Player of the Month award, the first full-back to do so since 2007. He was also named in the 2019 UEFA Team of the Year. Trent played a key role in Liverpool's 2–1 win over Wolves. He assisted captain Jordan Henderson's opening goal. He became the first defender in Premier League history to get double-digit assists in more than one season.

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

Continued Success: 2020–21

Trent continued to be a key player for Liverpool in the 2020–21 season. On 9 December, he became the youngest player to captain Liverpool in a European game. He wore the armband during a 1–1 Champions League draw against Midtjylland. Later that month, he was named in the 2020 FIFA FIFPro Men's World 11.

However, his and the club's form dropped in the second half of the season. He was left out of England's squad for some World Cup qualifiers. His performances were watched closely. He was criticized for defensive mistakes in a 3–1 Champions League loss to Real Madrid. But his Premier League form improved. He was praised for game-winning performances against Arsenal and Aston Villa, scoring the winning goal in the 90th minute against Villa. He was nominated for the Premier League Player of the Month award for April. The next month, he got two assists in wins against Manchester United and West Bromwich Albion. His 94th-minute corner against West Brom was headed in by goalkeeper Alisson, keeping Liverpool's Champions League hopes alive.

Milestones and Double Cup Win: 2021–22

Alexander-Arnold playing for Liverpool in 2021

On 30 July, Trent signed a new long-term contract with Liverpool. On 16 December, he scored Liverpool's third goal in a 3–1 home win against Newcastle United. It was a powerful shot from 25 yards. This was Liverpool's 2,000th top-flight win, a record in English football. In May 2022, after Liverpool beat Chelsea in the 2022 FA Cup Final, Trent made history. At 23 years and 219 days old, he became the youngest player to win six major trophies for an English club. These included the FIFA Club World Cup, Champions League, UEFA Super Cup, Premier League, FA Cup, and League Cup.

Trent finished 22nd in the 2022 Ballon d'Or. Liverpool nearly won a historic four trophies that season. They finished second in the Premier League and lost the Champions League final to Real Madrid again. Trent was chosen for the Champions League Team of the Season.

New Role and More Success: 2022–23

After a difficult period for the club, Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp changed Trent's position slightly. He moved him to an "inverted full-back" role. This meant he got to touch the ball more and play further forward. When Liverpool had the ball, Trent would move next to a defensive midfielder, in front of three defenders. This change helped both Trent and the team improve. On 17 April 2023, Trent got his 50th assist in the Premier League 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.

2023–24 Season

On 31 July 2023, Trent was named Liverpool's new vice-captain. He became the deputy to Virgil van Dijk. On 25 November 2023, he scored his first goal of the 2023–24 season. It was an equalizer against Manchester City in a 1–1 draw. On 7 January 2024, he injured his knee during a match against Arsenal. He was expected to be out for about three weeks. On 10 February 2024, he assisted Diogo Jota's goal against Burnley. This made him the defender with the most assists in Premier League history, passing his teammate Andrew Robertson.

2024–25 Season

On 9 November 2024, Trent had to leave a game against Aston Villa at Anfield due to a hamstring injury. This raised questions about whether he would be available for upcoming England games. In a 3–3 draw against Newcastle United, Trent came on as a substitute and provided two assists. This made him the first defender in Premier League history to reach 60 assists.

International Career

Youth Teams

Trent has played for England at many youth levels. He played in the 2015 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Chile. He also scored three goals for the England U19 team. This included two goals against Croatia and one against Spain. These goals helped England qualify for the 2017 UEFA European Under-19 Championship. He didn't play in the tournament itself. Liverpool and England agreed to rest him for the next club season. England went on to win the tournament, their first ever title in this competition. The month after, he was called up to the England U21 team. He made his debut in a 3–0 win over Latvia. After two more U21 games, he moved up to the senior England team.

Senior Team

Alexander-Arnold with England at the 2018 FIFA World Cup

In March 2018, Trent was invited to train with the senior national team for the first time. This was before friendly matches against Italy and the Netherlands. He got his first call-up in May 2018 for the 2018 FIFA World Cup squad. His debut was on 7 June 2018. He started in a 2–0 friendly win over Costa Rica. Before the game, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge gave him his match jersey.

Trent made his World Cup debut on 28 June. He started in a 1–0 group-stage loss to Belgium. Both teams had already made it to the next round. He became only the fourth teenager to start a World Cup match for England. However, it was his only appearance in the tournament. Kieran Trippier was preferred at right-back. England lost to Croatia in the semi-finals.

On 15 November 2018, Trent scored his first senior international goal. It was during a friendly game in honor of Wayne Rooney. England won 3–0 against the United States. At 20 years and 39 days old, he became the youngest Liverpool player since Michael Owen in 1999 to score for England. In June 2019, he was part of the England squad that finished third in the first UEFA Nations League. He played the whole game in a penalty shoot-out win over Switzerland. Two years later, he was named in England's squad for UEFA Euro 2020. But he had to pull out eight days before the tournament. He got a thigh injury during a friendly against Austria.

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

On 16 June 2023, Trent scored a long-range goal in a 4–0 win in the UEFA Euro 2024 qualifiers against Malta. He was praised for his excellent play. He played in the same 'Number 10' role in the next game and was also highly praised.

On 3 June 2024, in a Euro 2024 warm-up match, Trent scored his third England goal. He was named Player of the Match as England won 3–0 against Bosnia and Herzegovina. 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.

Trent started England's first Euro 2024 match. He played 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, Trent came on as a substitute. He scored England's winning penalty in the shoot-out.

How Trent Plays Football

Style of Play

Trent Alexander-Arnold is known for his great passing, crossing, and assists. Many see him as one of the best right-backs in the world. He is especially good at creating goals from early crosses and set-pieces.

He has a wide range of passes. This is because he played as a midfielder in Liverpool's youth academy. Since 2017–18, he has been one of Liverpool's main players for free kicks and corners. His way of taking set-pieces, with three steps back and one to the right, has been compared to rugby player Jonny Wilkinson. Football experts like Gary Lineker and Cesc Fàbregas praised his cleverness. This was after he assisted the winning goal in the 2018–19 Champions League semi-final. He took 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. Trent played mostly on the right side. His runs forward, long passes, accurate crosses, and hard work tracking back made him a key part of Liverpool's fast-paced, high-pressing style of play.

Trent's Charity Work

Outside of football, Trent helps a Liverpool charity called An Hour for Others. This charity helps people in need with things like food, toys, and lessons. He has supported them since his teenage years. When he was in Liverpool's academy, he and a teammate promised to help the charity if they became professional footballers.

Trent's charity work goes further. In March 2019, he signed a new sponsorship deal with Under Armour. He planned to buy land in Liverpool and build new football pitches for the community.

In April 2020, Trent and Under Armour helped doctors, nurses, and key workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. They gave over 2,000 products to workers at the Royal Liverpool University Hospital.

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

In April 2023, Trent started "The After Academy." This project, funded by Trent for five years, helps former academy footballers. It offers training and job opportunities in and out of football for players who didn't make it to the professional level.

Personal Life

Trent Alexander-Arnold is the nephew of John Alexander. John was a footballer for Reading and Millwall. He was also a club secretary for Manchester United. Trent's grandmother, Doreen Carling, was once in a relationship with former Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson. She later moved to New York City. Because of this, Trent could have played for the United States before he played for England. He has two brothers: Tyler, who is four years older and his agent, and Marcel, who is three years younger.

Trent also loves chess. His father taught him the game when he was young. In 2018, he played a special game against world champion Magnus Carlsen. Trent lost the game after seventeen moves. Trent said that chess helps him in football. It teaches him to think "two or three moves ahead of the opposition."

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

Career Statistics

Club

International

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

Awards and Trophies

Liverpool

• Premier League: 2019–20
• FA Cup: 2021–22
• EFL Cup: 2021–22, 2023–24
• 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

Images for kids

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  Alexander-Arnold with England at the 2018 FIFA World Cup

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  Alexander-Arnold playing for Liverpool U18 in 2016

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  Alexander-Arnold lining up for Liverpool in 2017

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

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  Alexander-Arnold playing for Liverpool in 2021

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  Alexander-Arnold with England at the 2018 FIFA World Cup

See also

In Spanish: Trent Alexander-Arnold para niños