Transitioning to a new club in a foreign country, especially one where the language is unfamiliar, can be challenging. For Trent Alexander-Arnold, who spent his entire youth and early professional career at his boyhood club Liverpool, debuting in the Premier League at just 17, this experience is now a reality following his move to Real Madrid in La Liga.
Historically, English players seldom ventured outside the Premier League. However, recent years have seen an increase in young English talents making the switch abroad. Notable examples include Jadon Sancho`s successful stint at Borussia Dortmund, Jude Bellingham`s current stardom at Real Madrid, and Harry Kane leading the line for Bayern Munich. Alexander-Arnold is the latest addition to this list, having joined Real Madrid this summer. His transfer was accelerated with Los Blancos paying over $11 million to Liverpool to secure him before the Club World Cup, allowing him extra time to integrate. As Real Madrid prepares for the round of 16 match against Juventus on Tuesday, the focus is firmly shifting towards competing for trophies.
Alexander-Arnold commented on his adjustment: “The settling-in period is now done, and it`s about kicking on and being the best player that I can be and giving the best with the team, and helping the team win as many games as possible, starting with this competition.”
Regardless of the competition, Real Madrid`s objective is always to win, a mentality familiar to Alexander-Arnold from his time at Liverpool, but one that is strongly reinforced at Real. Despite joining only on June 1 during FIFA`s special summer transfer window designed to allow Club World Cup participants to add new players, Alexander-Arnold has integrated well. Significant credit goes to the coaching staff for their focused effort to make the transition smooth in less than a month.
He elaborated on the support received: “The manager speaks to me a lot individually to make sure I understand everything that gets said, as other meetings are in Spanish. So he goes out of his way, the staff go out of their way to make sure I understand everything in the game plan. And you step out onto the pitch knowing that it`s the same no matter what club you play for, in international football, you step out there and you`re playing against a team and you`ve got a job to do.”
The environment has been welcoming for Alexander-Arnold, aided by the presence of fellow Englishman Jude Bellingham in the squad. Given the significant role of wing-backs in Xabi Alonso`s system, demonstrated by players like Jeremie Frimpong under the Spanish manager, Alexander-Arnold is expected to be a key figure in Real Madrid`s push to reclaim the La Liga title. Beyond the tactical adjustment on the pitch, moving from the Premier League to La Liga also involves adapting to cultural differences in Spain.
Reflecting on the challenges, Alexander-Arnold stated: “The language is the most difficult thing, but it`s going to take a little bit of time to adapt. I felt confident coming into the game, I felt comfortable. It was always going to take maybe a couple of games to get used to playing with new players, with new lads in a new environment, and with a new coach. That was always going to happen, but I`m happy with the way I`ve settled in. The lads have been very welcoming and made me feel at home, made me feel comfortable, and allow me to play the way I like to play.”
With significant changes at Real Madrid, including the departure of Carlo Ancelotti, insights like Alexander-Arnold`s highlight why Alonso was successful in building his previous team at Bayer Leverkusen. Managing “Galacticos” presents a different challenge, but a fundamental aspect of effective management remains making players feel secure and motivated to give their best. This seems to be happening at Real Madrid, providing opportunities for young talents like Arda Guler and Gonzalo Garcia to demonstrate their potential.
Overtaking Barcelona and securing the La Liga championship will require many elements to align perfectly, but winning silverware this summer would be a positive step, signaling that the club is moving in the right direction.
