By JAMES COHEN
Published: 20:00 EST, 27 November 2024 | Updated: 20:00 EST, 27 November 2024
Jude Bellingham was spotted waiting to swap shirts with close pal Trent Alexander-Arnold after their Champions League encounter.
The Real Madrid star was unable to prevent his side's defeat to Alexander-Arnold's Liverpool on Wednesday night as Alexis Mac Allister and Cody Gakpo struck for the hosts.
It was yet another disappointing result for Los Blancos who now sit 24th in the league table but there one was one upside at least for Madrid star Bellingham.
The England international was spotted waiting outside the Liverpool dressing room at full-time in the hopes of swapping shirts with close pal Alexander-Arnold.
Though the full-back wasn't on hand to deliver it himself, his teammate Ryan Gravenberch provided the assist as he went into the dressing room and returned to give Bellingham the shirt.
The Madrid star had a sombre look on his face as he mulled over the defeat to Liverpool - a club that he nearly joined before moving to Spain.
Jude Bellingham was spotted waiting to swap shirts with close pal Trent Alexander-Arnold
Liverpool teammate Ryan Gravenberch (right) was on hand to provide Bellingham with the shirt
Bellingham (right) and Alexander-Arnold (left) became good friends through England duty
The duo have become good friends since Bellingham was introduced to the England set-up two years ago, with many wondering whether roles would be reserved and Alexander-Arnold could persuade England's star to join Liverpool before he signed for Madrid.
But that didn't happen, and the shoe is now on the other foot, with Alexander-Arnold's future up in the air and Bellingham's settled.
The pair grew even closer in Germany during England's run to the Euro 2024 final and have remained close throughout recent international breaks.
An agreement could be made as soon as January with Alexander-Arnold's current contract up in a year's time, with pre-contract agreements able to be made a few months out from the expiry.
It wouldn't be the first big-money free transfer Madrid have secured were that to happen, with Mbappe running down his deal at PSG in France before moving to Spain this summer.
Bellingham and Alexander-Arnold started two games together at the Euros this summer, with the latter starting in an unfamiliar midfield role being being dropped for the third group game and beyond after criticism of his performances.
The Real Madrid star leapt to his pal's defence on the back of the critisim, telling ITV Sport: 'He makes it so easy for me because he can control the game so well defensively in that position.
'I know people talk a lot of rubbish but he's so aggressive with that back to goal pressure and it really helped me as well because it meant I got a breather when he went out.
'I think we understand each other well with the ball, he wants to play positive all the time, he wants to play forward all the time.'
Elsewhere on the night, Rio Ferdinand claimed that Liverpool are the 'best team in Europe' and are 'playing like Rottweilers that have not been fed in a while'.
The duo bonded while at Euro 2024 and are regularly seen together during international breaks
Bellingham was unable to prevent Real Madrid's 2-0 defeat by Liverpool on Wednesday evening
Ferdinand said on TNT Sports: 'They've put the gauntlet down to all the other teams in Europe. They look like the best team in Europe at the moment.
'They're playing as a team and look the hungriest individuals about. They're not only getting results, they look starving.
'They look like they haven't been fed for ages, Rottweilers running round the pitch hunting teams down. They've got the composure.'
Slot had his family in attendance and hailed a special night. 'It is always good to win a game, especially a big game like this,' said the Dutchman, who will be back at the AXA Training Centre this morning to prepare for a crunch title tussle against strugglers Manchester City on Sunday.