Trent Alexander-Arnold reacts to ‘incredible' Real Madrid debut: ‘What every player dreams of'
Trent Alexander-Arnold has hailed his Real Madrid debut as something 'almost every player dreams of' despite a frustrating first outing against Al-Hilal.
Following his arrival from Liverpool at the beginning of June, Alexander-Arnold's bow in Real colours lasted 65 minutes as he struggled up against the challenge of live wire Salem Al-Dawsari.
Advertisement
Despite his side missing out on victory in their Club World Cup opener, Alexander-Arnold nevertheless reflected positively on his first appearance.
"After playing a game, it is hard to concentrate that much to speak Spanish,' he told Channel 5. "An amazing day to make my debut for Real Madrid. Almost what every player dreams of.
"Some disappointment to not have won the game. The mentality you need to have as a Real Madrid player is to expect to win every game you're playing, but a lot of positives, especially in the second half.
'I felt the support from the moment I signed for the club. The fanbase that is truly global all over the world. You feel it every single day. A huge thank you for that. We dominated the stands today, which was incredible.'
Advertisement
Gonzalo Garcia, stepping in for the fever-stricken Kylian Mbappe, gave Real an early lead with a composed finish, but Ruben Neves levelled from the spot before half-time as Simone Inzaghi's men showed defensive grit and enough attacking intent to rattle their illustrious opponents.
Federico Valverde blew the chance to snatch a winner in 90th minute, fluffling a late penalty to ensure a statement result for the Saudi club.
Trent Alexander-Arnold on his Real Madrid debut (Getty Images)
Alexander-Arnold, who unlike fellow debutant Dean Huijsen didn't last the full game, also added detail on how he came to boast such strong Spanish - something he showed off at his unveiling.
Advertisement
"A couple of months,' he said, speaking on how long he'd been learning the language. 'It was something important that I had to do.
"It is important to show the intent that I want to embrace the culture and adapt as best as possible."
Watch every Fifa Club World Cup game free on DAZN. Sign up here now.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
26 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Rookies Dallas Mavericks Should Target to Pair With Cooper Flagg in Trade Scenario
Rookies Dallas Mavericks Should Target to Pair With Cooper Flagg in Trade Scenario originally appeared on Athlon Sports. This Wednesday, players from all over the world will be waiting with bated breath to find out if their name will be called to join the elite in the NBA. The Dallas Mavericks own the first overall pick and are widely expected to draft the most talented player in this year's draft, Cooper Flagg from Duke. Advertisement However, the Mavericks have not been shy about their need for a point guard. Moreover, if they are taking a page out of the success of the Indiana Pacers, they are going to look for a guard who can create shots for both his teammates and himself. Rafael Barlowe, the co-host of the Locked On NBA Big Board podcast, said on a recent episode of their podcast that the Mavericks may be exploring ways to get back into the first round. If they are able to do this, they may consider drafting one of the following, should they be available. Nolan Traore, G France Nolan Traore, a 6-3 guard out of France, is widely considered to be one of the top prospects in this draft. If you take his stats from this past year, where he played for Saint-Quentin, and look at them per 36 minutes of play, he would have averaged 18.5 points, 8.1 assists, and 2.8 rebounds. Advertisement Two of the drawbacks with Traore are his shooting percentage from 3, and his turnover numbers. He struggled to shoot the ball from deep last year, logging a mere 30.4 percent from behind the arc. He also averaged 2.5 turnovers per game. These are areas that the Mavericks coaching staff would need to work with him on if he is going to take the reins until the possible return of Kyrie Irving. Nique Clifford, G/F Colorado State Nique Clifford is an intriguing prospect. A 6-6 guard from Colorado State is both a playmaker and a shooter. Last season, he averaged a career-high 18.9 points per game. He also contributed with 9.6 rebounds, 4.4 assists, and 1.2 steals per game. He proved he can score at any level, averaging 49.6 percent from the floor as a whole and 37.7 percent from behind the arc. Advertisement Clifford could definitely be a great fit for the Mavericks as either a tall guard or if the opposing team is playing a small-ball lineup, he could slide down and play the small forward position and still be effective on the defensive end. He is also one of the older players in the draft, and his maturity may make him an instant plug-and-play type of player. Walter Clayton Jr, G Florida Walter Clayton Jr, fresh off the Florida Gators' national championship run, is another intriguing prospect that the Mavericks could target late in the first round. He is a 6-3 guard who can score at will, but also can facilitate the offense. He will do whatever is necessary for the team to win. Advertisement He averaged 18.3 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game, while shooting a scorching 44.8 percent from the floor. He also shot nearly 38..6 percent from deep. He is a guard who could contribute and fit what the Mavericks need right away as someone to facilitate the offense, but occasionally knock down shots if needed. The Dallas Mavericks' offense last season, especially after the injury to Kyrie Irving, looked very stagnant at times. There seemed to be a thought process of getting Anthony Davis the ball, and then standing around and watching him try to score. They have to find someone who can get open shots for their scorers like Klay Thompson and PJ Washington Jr. Clayton Jr could very well fit that mold. Advertisement Related: Why Dallas Mavericks Must Think Twice Before Trading for Jrue Holiday Related: Fresh Intel Reveals Mavericks' Strong Stance on Cooper Flagg This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 21, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
27 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Dortmund beats Mamelodi Sundowns 4-3 in blistering hot Club World Cup group stage match
CINCINNATI (AP) — Borussia Dortmund was gifted an easy goal to start the match and held off a strong response from the Mamelodi Sundowns on a fiercely warm day to win 4-3 in the Club World Cup group stage on Saturday. Both teams and the crowd of 14,006 at TQL Stadium sweat through high temperatures that forced a heat advisory and cooling breaks, called at the referee's discretion. Temperatures approached 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 Celsius). Advertisement The Sundowns opened the scoring early on an impressive break away that Lucas Ribeiro Costa finished in the 11th minute. Dortmund evened the score in the 16th minute when Sundowns goalie Ronwen Williams inadvertently passed to Dortmund's Felix Nmecha right in front of the net. Nmecha easily footed it in. Dortmund stole all momentum on the play and increased its lead to 3-1 at halftime. Serhou Guirassy scored in the 34th minute and Jobe Bellingham in the 45th. Khuliso Mudau's own goal on an attempt to deflect Daniel Svensson's cross in front of the net made it 4-1 in the 59th before South African Mamelodi centered itself and began putting pressure on the German club. The Sundowns scored two straight goals — Iqraam Rayners' double-header that first hit the post before his second effort scored in the 62nd and Lebo Mothiba's shot in the 90th minute. It wasn't enough to overcome the mistakes. Advertisement American midfielder Gio Reyna, forced to be with Dortmund rather than with the U.S. national team at the CONCACAF Gold Cup, dressed but didn't play for the second straight match. Key moment Nmecha's equalizer that was made too easy for the Bundesliga club. Takeaways Dortmund rises to the top of Group H, bypassing the previously leading Sundowns, who approach a critical match against Fluminense on Wednesday. Dortmund will meet Ulsan on Wednesday. ___ AP soccer: Peyton Ann Hodge, The Associated Press
Yahoo
37 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Inter Milan President Downplays Calhanoglu Galatasaray Transfer Links: ‘No Offers, Only Rumours'
Inter President Beppe Marotta says that there are no offers for Hakan Calhanoglu despite the transfer links with Galatasaray. Marotta spoke to Italian broadcaster SportMediaset, via FCInterNews, before today's match against Urawa Red Diamonds. He also denied Inter are working to sign Ange-Yoan Bonny for the Club World Cup. Advertisement Inter Milan midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu has been at the centre of transfer rumours recently. Reportedly, Turkish champions Galatasaray are keen to sign the 31-year-old. However, there has not been an offer to Inter yet. At least officially. Rather, reports indicate that Galatasaray have been in direct contact with Calhanoglu and his representatives. The Istanbul giants could aim to convince the former AC Milan and Bayer Leverkusen midfielder on the move initially. Then approach Inter formally. Inter President Marotta: 'No Offers For Calhanoglu, Only Rumours' MUNICH, GERMANY – APRIL 08: Hakan Calhanoglu of FC Internazionale controls the ball during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 Quarter Final First Leg match between FC Bayern München and FC Internazionale Milano at Fussball Arena Muenchen on April 08, 2025 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by) Inter Milan President Beppe Marotta commented that 'Calhanoglu is acting like the professional that he is.' Advertisement 'His participation in training has been very professional,' he added. 'There's absolutely nothing negative that we can attribute to him. He's here with us.' 'Then on the other hand, there are the rumours. Which maybe originate from other sources.' 'But at the moment we haven't received any official offers from anyone,' Marotta made clear. 'Therefore, Calhanoglu is 100% an Inter player.' Meanwhile, Marotta also updated on Inter's reported negotiations to sign Parma striker Ange-Yoan Bonny. 'Maybe he won't be here in the United States,' the Nerazzurri President said. Inter are in the US for the Club World Cup this month. Watch Inter Milan vs Urawa Red Diamonds for FREE with DAZN on any device! Advertisement 'He's a player who's in our notebook,' he didn't hide. 'But we've yet to finalize the negotiations, and we'll work on it calmly.' 'We need to see what Parma want,' Marotta added. 'But I don't deny we're interested.'
