Real Madrid Make Surprise Call on Bellingham and Trent That Reflects Their Season
Real Madrid have reportedly made an unexpected decision on both Jude Bellingham and Trent Alexander-Arnold.
This summer, Alexander-Arnold, 27, left boyhood club Liverpool after being lured away by Spanish La Liga giants Madrid.
Alexander-Arnold has endured a tough start to life in the Spanish capital, having been criticised on multiple occasions.
In addition, the full-back is currently sidelined after suffering a hamstring injury during Madrid's UEFA Champions League clash against Marseille last month.
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Meanwhile, Bellingham is slowly getting back to full fitness after undergoing shoulder surgery following Los Blancos' exit from the FIFA Club World Cup during the summer.
With both players far from their best, Madrid have reportedly taken a brutal decision.
As reported by the Daily Mail, both Bellingham and Alexander-Arnold have been left out of Madrid's 2026 calendar. Last year, Bellingham was included.
While the English duo missed out, the likes of Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Jr, Thibaut Courtois, Dean Huijsen, Federico Valverde and Dani Carvajal were all included.
Official club calendars are often a popular gift, especially as the Christmas period approaches. The 2026 Madrid calendar is currently being retailed at £10.99.
The full list of players involved is Mbappe, Aurelien Tchouameni, Courtois, Franco Mastantuono, Vinicius Jr, Arda Guler, Huijsen, Carvajal, Alvaro Carreras, Valverde, Eder Militao, and Brahim Diaz.
It has been a tough few weeks for Bellingham, who was also overlooked for the latest England squad by Thomas Tuchel.
Explaining the decision to leave out the 22-year-old, Tuchel said: "I understand your focus on Jude [Bellingham]; he is a very special player, and for special players, there are special rules.
"But for this camp we decided to stick with out decision to invite the same team, that also applies to Jude. He always deserves to be in camp."
He added: "There is also the situation that he hasn't gathered his full rhythm for Real Madrid. He hasn't finished one full match until now; he has only started one now.
"He is getting back to full strength. We had a phone call. There is no issue from that side, he just lacks rhythm."
Madrid are back in La Liga action next weekend when they take on Getafe at the Estadio Coliseum.
Topics: Real Madrid, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Jude Bellingham, Football
Marcus Chan