Alexander-Arnold: Of course, the abuse from Liverpool fans hurts me

Trent Alexander-Arnold has revealed he still hopes for “some degree of understanding” from Liverpool supporters, admitting he continues to receive abuse 14 months after leaving Anfield for Real Madrid.

Following a challenging first season in Spain and missing the World Cup with England, the 27-year-old told “The Mirror” that the reaction to his departure from the club he supported “hurts him.” He stated that he watches every Liverpool match and made it clear that his boyhood club will always have “a place in his heart.”

“The booing and disappointment from Liverpool fans is something I can absolutely deal with. I can understand it in my own way,” he said. “But I hope that one day there will be some degree of understanding regarding the decisions I wanted to make for my own life. It hurts me because of how much I gave to the club over 20 years and the sacrifices I made for it during that period.”

Despite being booed on his return to Anfield during Real’s 1-0 Champions League loss in November, Alexander-Arnold says he can “differentiate” between the abuse from that night and online, and his interactions with fans when he returns to Merseyside to visit family.

“None of my personal encounters reflect the things you get online or on social media,” he stated.

Alexander-Arnold, who featured in 35 of Real Madrid’s 62 matches across all competitions last season, said that online harassment is a “sad part of life” in 2026 and that some messages have “crossed a line.”

“I choose to keep those things away from me because I don’t feel they are real,” Trent declared. “I can rationalize it by knowing that it’s not representative of a football club I love, and it’s not representative of my hometown. By that, I’m not saying everyone at Liverpool agrees with my departure – of course, they don’t. But it’s very different from things that go beyond football.”

Alexander-Arnold shared that he approached the summer without making plans, hoping Thomas Tuchel would select him for the World Cup. However, when the phone rang at his Madrid home, the news was not what he had expected.

“I’ll be honest, I was full of hope,” he recounted. “When I hung up the phone, I was completely devastated. I hope the coaching staff expects and understands that I was angry.”

Alexander-Arnold’s last of 34 national team appearances came as a substitute in a 1-0 victory over Andorra in June 2025.

“Tuchel wants players who are desperate to play for England. I am one of them,” he insisted.

Alexander-Arnold watched England’s matches during the World Cup and stated that his determination to return to the international stage has not waned.

“Until I retire, I am still an England player, whether I am selected or not. I am always available if and when the manager needs me. There is no greater honor.”

He added that he would turn the feeling of disappointment into a “positive” for the new season.

“I want to use this as fuel to get back into the England squad, and then back into an England shirt. That’s my goal, and I hope to achieve it,” he concluded.