Featured Image Credit: Getty
Topics: Trent Alexander-Arnold, Real Madrid, Football, Thibaut Courtois, Xabi Alonso
Luke Davies
Topics: Trent Alexander-Arnold, Real Madrid, Football, Thibaut Courtois, Xabi Alonso
Real Madrid have already come up with a new nickname for Trent Alexander-Arnold following their 1-0 win over Juventus in the Club World Cup round of 16 on Tuesday.
Alexander-Arnold, 26, provided the assist for Gonzalo Garcia’s headed goal, which saw Real Madrid progress to Saturday’s quarter-final clash with Borussia Dortmund.
After the game, Los Blancos goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois described the England international as being “horrible” to face in training.
Speaking to DAZN, the Belgian said: "I think he could have already had a few in these four games. His pre-assist against Pachuca was also really good. In training he’s horrible, his kicking is amazing. His free-kicks, his corner kicks are really on another level."
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He added: "I don’t think I saw some guy with his quality of kicking and crossing so as a goalkeeper sometimes it’s a nightmare. But it keeps you on edge and keeps you working hard, trying to save them, to make him better and myself better."
Also speaking after his side’s victory, head coach Xabi Alonso said: "We were caught out by [Kenan] Yildiz's position in the middle. Everything takes time, but I have faith in him [Alexander-Arnold].
“He's a reliable full-back and so is [Dani] Carvajal. We will improve from the collective side to the individual and not the other way around.”
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And according to the club’s social media channels, the 26-year-old has a new nickname.
Following his side’s victory, the club posted two photographs of Trent alongside Real Madrid teammate Arda Guler, accompanied by the caption: “Trent Asistencias-Arnold."
Of course, the Liverpudlian’s name has already been of interest following his move to Real Madrid.
When speaking at his official unveiling on June 12, the right-back explained how he was to wear ‘Trent’ on the back of his match shirt rather than ‘Alexander-Arnold’.
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“Quite an easy explanation,” he said at his press conference. “I’ve always found when I travel to Europe that the whole name situation confuses a lot of people, as there are three names and double-barrelled.
“People call me Arnold, people call me Alexander, people call me Alex, people call me Trent, there's a lot that goes on.
“So I thought, let's make it easy, Trent on the back, and be known as Trent. That's my name so I guess that's what people will call me.”