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On Tuesday night, Anfield will host 22 of the greatest footballers currently walking God’s green earth.
They come from birthplaces which range across continents: Nagrig to Rio de Janeiro, Santa Rosa to Paris and Breda to Montevideo.
But before this showpiece fixture between the English champions and Spanish league leaders, whose museums hold 21 European Cups between them, the attention is on a lad from just round the corner.
So the only place to start yesterday was not in the press conferences of two of the world’s leading coaches, Arne Slot and Xabi Alonso, but with a stroll in the windy settings of Sybil Road, L4.
‘I’m just a normal lad from Liverpool whose dream has just come true,’ reads some white graffiti on a black background next to a big illustration of Trent Alexander-Arnold and his iconic No 66 shirt.
It stands across the road from a homage to former captain Jordan Henderson, round the corner to one for record-scorer Ian Rush and a few doors on from one about the late Diogo Jota which is full of hand-written tributes.
‘I’m just a normal lad from Liverpool whose dream has just come true,’ reads some white graffiti on a blacked-out background next to a big illustration of Trent Alexander-Arnold on Sybil Road
Before this fixture between the English champions and Spanish league leaders, whose museums hold 21 European Cups between them, the attention is on a lad from round the corner
That ‘normal lad from Liverpool’ could have held legendary status in the same way as some of the very greats of this club but he will not because the aforementioned dreams on that mural changed. Being the main man at Anfield was no longer enough, it seemed.
Whatever side of the argument you stand on – some think it was fair for him to go on and chase his goals in Madrid, some Reds fans despise him for turning his back on his boyhood club – it is clear the cameras will pan to him quite a lot.
The easy thing for the photographers, though, is that they know where he will be, unlike many opposition defenders over the years at Anfield. Instead of popping up in dangerous areas as a creative spark, Alexander-Arnold will be sitting in a puffer jacket on the substitutes’ bench.
Federico Valverde, the talented and versatile Uruguay midfielder, will start at right back – as he did in El Clasico last month and the 4-0 win over Valencia on Saturday. Alexander-Arnold has not played a single minute since mid-September.
The reason for that is injury but it illustrates how his start to life in Madrid has gone. Una situacion frustrante may be one of many phrases the right back has learned in his three hours of weekly Spanish lessons.
Alexander-Arnold, who now wears just ‘Trent’ on the back of his shirt because the locals would often think his first name was Alexander, always knew it would be tough to dislodge veteran full back and captain Dani Carvajal – but the 33-year-old Spaniard is also not fit.
Yet just as might say about another Alexander – Liverpool striker Isak, who is also not fit – Real signed the former Reds right back not for a few months but a few years. That they paid £8.4million to get him a month early, to play in the Club World Cup, highlights just how much they rate him.
He is living in La Finca district, near to his good mate Jude Bellingham and fellow Englishman Conor Gallagher, who is playing for city rivals Atletico Madrid. In terms of his private life, Alexander-Arnold is said to be settling in nicely in the Spanish capital.
In terms of his private life, Alexander-Arnold is said to be settling in nicely in the Spanish capital
Alexander-Arnold now wears just ‘Trent’ on the back of his shirt because the locals would often think his first name was Alexander
The 27-year-old has a personal language coach, Sara Duque, who also taught former Manchester City star Julian Alvarez – a Spanish-speaker now at Atletico – how to speak English.
Lessons are said to be intense but fun, with Duque putting a focus on football. Instead of learning how to order food in tapas bars – which he can do – the topics are often put into football situations such as press conferences or talking to team-mates.
How long he has been studying for is up for debate. Alexander-Arnold says it is only five months but that would have given a two-week window for him to learn the word-perfect speech he gave at his unveiling, where he shocked those in the building – including president Florentino Perez.
He has a good friendship base in Madrid and spends lots of time with Bellingham, of course, but also former Bournemouth defender Dean Huijsen. Bellingham and Alexander-Arnold will be hoping Thomas Tuchel pays a trip to the Santiago Bernabeu soon.
Alexander-Arnold’s side hustles include investments in the Alpine F1 team, plus mega-money deals with adidas and a recent shoot in nothing but Calvin Klein underpants. Off the pitch, the move is going as planned – but in a World Cup year, he needs more on-pitch success.
So how will the former academy graduate be received on his big return? The feeling inside the Anfield dressing room is mixed, similar to the fanbase.
Some, like Mohamed Salah and Ibrahima Konate, have remained in contact. Others, like captain Virgil van Dijk, have not been in touch much since his transfer.
Asked if he will be speaking to Alexander-Arnold before this match, Van Dijk said: ‘No. Nothing personal whatsoever, obviously I live my life and he lives his life in Madrid. Trent is a quality player. He showed it so many times, he's a very gifted player and he was important for us over all those years.
Captain Virgil van Dijk has not been in contact much with his former team-mate
Alexander-Arnold is close with his good friend and now team-mate Jude Bellingham (centre) in Madrid
‘I was very happy to have him in my team. We have been very successful, but now he's an opponent. If he plays then we have to make it very difficult for him to do what he's good at.’
Ryan Gravenberch will offer Alexander-Arnold a hug after the match, while boss Arne Slot said: ‘I have great memories of the player and the human being.
‘He was my vice-captain last season and I have memories of working with him which were only positive and have memories from watching him on television which were only positive as well – I can remember multiple great moments of his in a Liverpool shirt.
‘He will get a warm welcome from me. Let's first wait and see if he is on the pitch tomorrow. How the fans (react), I have no clue – but he gets a warm welcome from me, that's for sure.’
Many at the club, who watched Alexander-Arnold’s journey from boy to man, have remained on his side. Plenty reached out on the day news broke of Jota’s tragic passing, when Alexander-Arnold was training at the Club World Cup in America.
At Liverpool, though, they only look forward. Slot has been frustrated with his right back situation since Alexander-Arnold’s departure, with both Conor Bradley and Jeremie Frimpong struggling for consistent fitness.
Bradley had perhaps his best game in a Liverpool shirt in this fixture last season and asked what the Northern Irishman needs to do to move out of Alexander-Arnold’s shadow, Slot said: ‘Stay fit. Because he played very well in that game (against Real Madrid last season) for 80 minutes and then unfortunately he got a hamstring injury. So that's the biggest challenge until now.
‘Be able to play at this intensity every three days without getting injured. And that has not been easy for him because he missed big parts of pre-season and he's been unlucky at times.
Many at Liverpool, who watched Alexander-Arnold’s journey from boy to man, have remained on his side
Conor Bradley had perhaps his best game in a Liverpool shirt in this fixture last season, locking down Kylian Mbappe as the Reds won 2-0 at Anfield
‘I think he is progressing, he is getting fitter and fitter. He is showing the potential he has, but the main thing for him will be being able to play every three days without an injury.
‘And then I am sure, like Florian (Wirtz) and all the others we have who are adjusting at this moment in time to the programme and the fixture list, he will be fine because we have unbelievable talent in this group.’
Bradley is a gifted footballer but has one thing working against him: he is not Alexander-Arnold. A brilliant full back who can defend or attack, but he cannot – not now at least – click his fingers and create goals with the unorthodox, unique passing style of his creative predecessor.
Liverpool have undoubtedly missed the local lad who was next in line to the captaincy at Anfield but, so far, it appears La Liga leaders Real are not missing him while he is easing his way back to fitness after a hamstring strain.
Alexander-Arnold’s record when playing in this fixture stands at played six, won zero. With him now playing for the 15-time champions of Europe, will that change?
