Ex-Liverpool star calls Alexander-Arnold's Ballon d'Or dream 'almost impossible'
Trent Alexander-Arnold has made it known that he wants to win the Ballon d'Or but he's been warned that his ambition is near impossible ahead of his Real Madrid switch
Trent Alexander-Arnold has been told it is "almost impossible" for him to claim the Ballon d'Or at Real Madrid - despite confessing his desire to win the Golden Ball during his career.
The Liverpool star will call time on his stint at Anfield this summer, leaving the only club he's ever played for, with Los Blancos expected to be his destination. He will become the latest English star to head to the Spanish capital joining Jude Bellingham.
Alexander-Arnold, regarded as a generational talent, has made it clear he wants to win individual accolades and will move to the team who have the most Ballon d'Or winners in history. The likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Luke Modric and Karim Benzema have all won the award in the white of Real.
However not since Fabio Cannavaro in 2006 has a defender won the award and Fernando Morientes, who played for Liverpool and Real, cannot see that changing.
He confessed that Alexander-Arnold's dream is achievable, but claimed that his exploits will only help the likes of Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Jnr score more goals, improving their chances of claiming the Ballon d'Or ahead of him.
Morientes told CasinoHawks: 'Using what I know historically about the Ballon d'Or, I see that as very complicated. If Trent Alexander Arnold has an exceptional season in every sense, it means he's attacking a lot, that he'll score a lot of goals. But if he scores a lot of goals, then Kylian Mbappe will score a lot of goals, Jude Bellingham will score a lot of goals, Vinicius will score a lot of goals.
'It seems to me that this Ballon d'Or is designed for midfielders and attackers. Very rarely do we see defenders or goalkeepers. In fact, Fabio Cannavaro comes to mind in our time and little else, and everything else is scoring midfielders and forwards or exceptional players.
'Can Alexander Arnold win the Ballon d'Or at Real Madrid? Yes. Is it very difficult? It is very difficult. I see it as almost impossible, but it's good that he comes with those expectations. This means he has very high ambitions.'
Jamie Carragher admitted that Alexander-Arnold's Ballon d'Or confession was the first clear sign he wanted to head to Real. The defender said he wanted to win it ahead of another Champions League with the Sky Sports pundit raising it as an early red flag.
The only Ballon d'Or winner in Liverpool's' history was Michael Owen, who claimed the gong back in 2001. Over the past two decades only four times has the Golden Ball gone to a player NOT representing Real or Barcelona.
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