Liverpool fans boo departing star Trent Alexander-Arnold
Trent Alexander-Arnold was booed by Liverpool fans during Sunday's 2-2 draw against Arsenal as Andrew Robertson admitted it was "not nice" to hear the jeers for his teammate in his first appearance since announcing he will leave the Premier League champion at the end of this season.
Alexander-Arnold confirmed his impending exit on Monday ahead of a widely expected move to Real Madrid.
In his first game in front of Liverpool's fans at Anfield since the decision to leave his boyhood club, the Merseyside-born England star was subjected to audible jeers as he was introduced as a 67th-minute substitute against Arsenal.
There were also some cheers for the 26-year-old product of Liverpool's youth academy, who has won two Premier League titles and the Champions League with the Reds.
But he was booed several times while in possession in the second half as Arsenal fought back from two goals down despite finishing with 10 men after Mikel Merino's late dismissal.
Prior to the game, Liverpool manager Arne Slot had said he would not tell supporters how they should react to the player's announcement.
Slot dropped Alexander-Arnold from his lineup as he looked to the future by starting with 21-year-old Conor Bradley.
The highly rated Northern Irishman is viewed as the natural successor to Alexander-Arnold, and the crowd sang his name during the game.
"There's a lot of emotion around it," Robertson said of the taunts directed at Alexander-Arnold.
"For Trent, it's not been an easy one. Of course it's not. But he's made the decision.
"It's not nice to see a friend get booed, it wasn't nice. But as I said, we can't tell people how to act.
"I can't tell you how I feel about it, I'm extremely proud of him. I love him as a player, I love him as a friend. He will be missed as one of my best friends in the game."
Slot opted to toe a delicate line between supporting Alexander-Arnold and not angering Liverpool's fans.
"There were people who were not so happy, there were people who were happy for him," Slot said. "They clapped for him. A few of them booed.
"I will always back my players, the ones I lead and wear the red shirt.
"It would not be fair to focus only on the Liverpool fans that booed. If they want to, it's fine but there were a lot of people that were really positive about him as well."
Slot said he would have no qualms about selecting Alexander-Arnold for Liverpool's final two games at Brighton and against Crystal Palace at Anfield.
"The thing I consider is I want to win a game of football, and if we think we can win with Trent, I owe it to his teammates and to the fans, because they hired me to win as many games of football as possible," Slot said.
"And if I think there's a better chance of winning with Trent, then I will pick him.
"If I think it's a distraction or whatever can happen for us not to play a good game of football, then I might make another decision."
Alexander-Arnold is the latest Liverpool star to leave for Madrid after Steve McManaman and Michael Owen in 1999 and 2004 respectively.
Neither has been able to completely heal the wounds caused by their defections to the Bernabeu.
But former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher echoed Robertson's frustration.
"That's the story of the game," he said. "That's what we will be talking about after the game, and the back pages of every newspaper tomorrow," he said.
"I'm surprised how many. When you're in a crowd of 60,000, there's no doubt there's a lot of unhappy people at Liverpool about the situation, and I've said that's understandable.
"But for me, I don't believe that any player putting that red shirt on, going out to play for the club and trying to win them points or win them trophies should be booed."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Japan Today
a day ago
- Japan Today
Portugal beats Spain on penalties to win Nations League
soccer Ruben Neves scored the decisive spot kick after Alvaro Morata missed as Portugal beat Spain 5-3 on penalties following a 2-2 draw in Munich on Sunday to claim their second Nations League title. Portugal twice went behind in regulation time but twice fought back to level the scores. "Our fighting spirit and togetherness were decisive today," Bruno Fernandes, who converted his penalty, told RTL. "When we stay together like this, we're very difficult to beat." After 21 minutes, Martin Zubimendi took advantage of some sleepy Portugal defense to put Spain in front. The brilliant Nuno Mendes leveled things up five minutes later. Mikel Oyarzabal, Spain's goalscorer in the Euro 2024 final and the 2023 Nations League final, put La Roja back in front just before the break. Cristiano Ronaldo, quiet as he had been before scoring the winner against Germany in the semis, equalized with 61 minutes gone, adjusting quickly after a Mendes cross was deflected into the air, muscling past Marc Cucurella and volleying the dropping ball home. Ronaldo was subbed off before full-time with cramp. Even though Portugal had the better of extra time, the match went to penalties. Both sides converted their first three spot kicks. Mendes buried Portugal's fourth, before Morata stepped up and shot straight at Diogo Costa. Neves nervelessly converted in front of the red and green of the Portugal fans. On the sidelines, Ronaldo could not watch the final penalty, burying his face in a teammate's back. Once Neves converted, the Portugal veteran fell to his knees and was embraced by players and staff. The victory was just Portugal's second competitive win over Iberian rival Spain in their long history. Portugal's only other win over Spain in a competitive fixture was a 1-0 victory which booted the Spaniards out of Euro 2004, with a 19-year-old Ronaldo on the left wing. Portugal became the first two-time winner of the Nations League, launched in 2018. It was Portugal's third major title, along with Euro 2016. Spain coach Luis de la Fuente said the match was "equal". "We did a lot well, but in football sometimes things happen and the opponent is able to beat you," he said. While Nico Williams and Lamine Yamal's fluid movement troubled the Portugese defense early in the match, La Roja's opener was scrappy. Yamal chipped from outside the box and the Portugal defense froze, botching a clearance which fell to Zubimendi, who leathered the ball into the net. The goal was just rewards for Spain's early dominance, but Portugal hit back almost immediately. Mendes, put through by Pedro Neto, drilled a low shot across the goal and in. Just before halftime, Spain picked Portugal's pocket in their own half before advancing. Pedri linked with Oyarzabal, who threaded the ball past Diogo Costa. Oyarzabal's goal meant he has scored in three international finals -- against England at Euro 2024, which Spain won, and the 2023 and 2025 Nations Leagues, which Spain lost. Ronaldo had done little other than encourage the heavily Portuguese crowd until that point but would pick his moment to strike. With 61 minutes gone, Mendes shed a defender and whipped in a cross. The ball took a deflection and Ronaldo outmuscled Cucurella before lashing a volley home. The goal was Ronaldo's fourth in 10 matches against Spain. The previous three all coming in a wild 3-3 draw at the 2018 World Cup. Limping in the dying stages of regulation time, Ronaldo fell to the turf with three minutes left and signaled to the bench that his night was over. Spain may have been confident when the match went to extra time, having won on penalties in 2023, but Portugal were faultless, Neves stepping up and converting to send his teammates, including a hobbled Ronaldo, streaming onto the pitch. © 2025 AFP
Japan Today
2 days ago
- Japan Today
Kane saves England as Dutch and Austrians open World Cup campaigns with wins
soccer England kept their World Cup qualifying on track with an ugly 1-0 win while Austria and the Netherlands made belated starts to their campaigns with victories on Saturday. Harry Kane's 72nd international goal ensured England avoided the ultimate embarrassment of failing to beat Andorra. Even so, Thomas Tuchel's side were booed off in Barcelona after struggling to impress against a team ranked 173rd in the world. Tuchel is the first England manager to win his first three competitive games without conceding a goal. But given the paucity of opposition provided by Andorra, Latvia and Albania in the Group K qualifiers, that achievement rings a little hollow after this miserable display. "I'm not happy with the performance. We completely lost the momentum and couldn't get it back. We ended up in a place that was not good enough in terms of urgency," Tuchel said. "We can just admit it that it's not what we expect from us. I was most worried in the last 20 minutes because I didn't like the attitude we ended the game with. "I didn't like the lack of urgency. It did not match the occasion. It is still a World Cup qualifier." England pulled five points clear after three matches in Group K as second-placed Albania drew 0-0 at home with Serbia. Rey Manaj of Albania wasted a penalty in first-half added time. Serbia was one of three teams playing their first qualifying match Saturday after they had been involved in Nations League playoffs. Netherlands made their debut with a crisp 2-0 win over Finland in Helsinki. Memphis Depay scored after six minutes. Denzil Dumfries, one week after his unhappy experience playing for Inter Milan in the Champions League final, added the second after 23 minutes. Netherlands jumped to third in Group G, overtaking Lithuania and Malta who drew 0-0. The Dutch are one point behind Finland and three behind leaders Poland who did not play. Marcel Sabitzer and Michael Gregoritsch scored as Austria beat Romania 2-1 in Vienna. Florin Tanase headed an added-time reply for the visitors who had squandered several chances in the closing stages. Bosnia-Herzegovina lead Group H on nine points after Edin Dzeko scored the only goal in a 1-0 victory home over San Marino. Romania, Cyprus and Austria all have three points. © 2025 AFP
Japan Today
2 days ago
- Japan Today
Club World Cup has faced pushback in Europe but FIFA is banking on its big bet
FILE - President of FIFPRO Europe David Terrier speaks during a media conference on protecting player health and safeguarding the sustainability of national leagues at the Residence Palace in Brussels, on Monday, Oct. 14, Oct. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo, File) soccer By JAMES ROBSON The Club World Cup. A bold new era for the world's most popular sport — or a major inconvenience, shoe-horned into a soccer calendar that is already at saturation point? FIFA's newly expanded tournament kicks off June 14 in Miami against the backdrop of legal challenges in Europe, strike threats and repeated concerns over players' mental and physical welfare due to the increased number of games. There has been no shortage of pushback from Europe since the bumper new addition to soccer's landscape was announced in December 2023. Voices of dissent from the continent that will be sending the most teams to the tournament have continued virtually right up to its big launch. 'We want to protect football,' David Terrier, president of players' union FIFPRO Europe, said. 'It's a big problem and it's not just about the workload. The question is about the governance because the calendar is a consequence of the governance of football.' That sentiment is not shared universally. In many other parts of the world, there is a buzz of anticipation among fans about the opportunity of going up against the giants like Real Madrid in the biggest ever global tournament for clubs. The biggest sales of tickets outside of the United States have come from Brazil, Argentina, Mexico. The brainchild of FIFA president Gianni Infantino, soccer's world governing body is banking on its tournament rivaling the Champions League and Premier League in terms of status, wealth and popularity — describing it as its 'prime club competition.' Featuring 32 teams — expanded from seven — and staged in the U.S. through June and July, it will be played on a four-yearly basis. It means many top players face the prospect of offseason tournaments in three out of every four years going forward, with the Club World Cup sandwiched between the men's World Cup for national teams, the European Championship and Copa America. The lack of enthusiasm in Europe was striking when the new format was announced. 'I am not against new competitions, I am against the lack of time to recover year by year,' Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola said. Jürgen Klopp, the former Liverpool manager and now head of global soccer for Red Bull, called it "useless" as recently as January. 'It means you have no summer break,' he said. "Who wins the tournament, wow, is the poorest winner ever because you have to play through the whole summer.' A legal complaint by FIFPRO Europe and the association of European Leagues fed into a general sense of negativity from the continent. Javier Tebas, president of the Spanish league, called for the Club World Cup to be withdrawn. Last year there were doubts whether Real Madrid — the most famous franchise in soccer — would even accept its invitation to play after then-coach Carlo Ancelotti reportedly suggested the record 15-time European champion would boycott over appearance money. Madrid soon confirmed it would be involved after all. Despite the criticism, the tournament is backed by the European Club Association, which represents the majority of its top teams. And those participating are not taking it lightly. Europe will be represented by some of the biggest clubs like Madrid, Manchester City, Bayern Munich and Champions League winner Paris Saint-Germain. Superstars including Kylian Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior and Erling Haaland are expected to play. Madrid has signed Trent Alexander-Arnold early to ensure he is available. Also, midfielder Jude Bellingham will reportedly delay a shoulder operation in order to play. While City forward Phil Foden said he and his teammates were 'mentally drained' after a troubled season when the once-dominant Premier League club ended up trophyless, he did not doubt its determination to win the Club World Cup. 'Some clubs will take it more seriously than others, but I know City and the club we are. We'll definitely take it seriously,' he said. PSG coach Luis Enrique was also enthusiastic. 'I think it is an incredible competition. Maybe not now in its first edition, but it will become an incredibly important competition to win,' he said. The potential for the winner to take home $125 million from a total prize pot of $1 billion has also likely helped fuel interest from clubs participating. Europe's leagues and players' union say it was a lack of talks that put them on a collision course with FIFA over the tournament. Both of those bodies want to be consulted about new competitions being added to the calendar and that was the basis of their case with the European Commission, said Mathieu Moreuil, vice president of European Leagues. 'I mean we sent in letters, we tried to engage, there was no real consultations through any kind of committees or anything,' he said. Moreuil spoke at a briefing held in Munich ahead of the Champions League final last month, which The Associated Press attended. It was evidence of the intention to continue to apply pressure to FIFA even in the final weeks before the Club World Cup kicks off. 'FIFA is the one dealing with world football and is the governing body and they should take care of the game,' Moreuil said. FIFA didn't reply to requests for comment. Coaches and players in Latin America have not complained about having to play more matches. In Argentina there is huge expectation. According to FIFA, Boca Juniors was the first team to sell out tickets for its three group stage matches, likely helped by two games in Miami, where there is a large Argentine community. 'I'm going to the Club World Cup with the highest expectations," said new Boca head coach Miguel Ángel Russo. "I dream big.' Latin American teams have also been active in the transfer market, making marquee signings in preparation. Former Madrid captain Sergio Ramos joined Mexican team Monterrey. In Argentina, River Plate signed seven new players and Brazilian club Palmeiras paid 18 million euros ($20 million) for striker Paulinho. In the host nation, there were joyous scenes when LAFC secured the last place in the tournament after a playoff victory against Club America of Mexico last month. It will join Lionel Messi's Inter Miami and Seattle Sounders representing the U.S. In Japan thousands of fans unfurled a huge flag saying 'Grab the World Cup' ahead of Urawa Reds' last domestic game before heading to the U.S. For South Korea, represented by Ulsan HD, it is a case of national pride to take part. 'This is not just the journey of one club, but a message that the entire K-League sends to the world,' said local news outlet Asia Today. For Saudi Arabia, the Club World Cup is the chance to show the rapid growth of its Pro League following the oil-rich kingdom's drive to become a major player in soccer, which has included luring Cristiano Ronaldo and winning the right to host the 2034 World Cup. It will be represented by its most successful team, Al-Hilal, which failed in an attempt to sign Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes in the weeks leading up to the tournament. AP reporters Mauricio Savarese in Sao Paulo, Debora Rey in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and John Duerden in Seoul, South Korea, contributed. © Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
