Former Aston Villa striker Gabriel Agbonlahor lashed out at Liverpool fans for their reaction to Trent Alexander-Arnold's presentation at Real Madrid. The Englishman chastized the Reds fans who took to X to send derogatory messages to the 26-year-old for speaking fluent Spanish.
Graduating from Liverpool's academy in 2016, Alexander-Arnold quickly worked his way up the ranks and is now widely considered to be one of the best full-backs in world football. He made 354 appearances for his boyhood club, racking up 23 goals and 92 assists and won nine trophies, including the 2019-20 UEFA Champions League title.
On the expiration of his contract at the end of the 2024-25 campaign, he departed from Anfield and joined Real Madrid on a free transfer. In his unveiling as a Los Blancos player, he surprised everyone by speaking fluent Spanish.
While many fans appreciated Alexander-Arnold's efforts, Liverpool supporters were not best pleased. They claimed that the 26-year-old had been plotting a move away from the club for a long time and labelled him a traitor.
Agbonlahor lambasted the critics, asserting that the right-back may have learned the language in school. On talkSPORT, the 38-year-old said (via Rousing the Kop):
"When I saw it [Alexander-Arnold speaking fluent Spanish], I had to look twice and think, is this real? [It's] unbelievable. There was a meltdown on social media from Liverpool fans, I can't say what they were calling him, but they were like 'yeah, that makes sense, he's been planning this move for two or three years.'"
"How do you know he doesn't already know Spanish? How does anyone know that he's been learning Spanish for this move? We don't know, do we, he might have done Spanish at school, he might have been fluent in it anyway," Agbonlahor added.
"This is what dreams are made of" - Trent Alexander-Arnold makes claim after moving from Liverpool to Real Madrid
English defender Trent Alexander-Arnold claimed that he 'can't wait to get started' at Real Madrid after making the move over from boyhood club Liverpool.
Speaking in fluent Spanish at his presentation ceremony, the 26-year-old said (translated to English, via Madrid Universal):
"Being a Real Madrid player is something that most footballers in the world want at some point in their lives. It's still hard for me to take in that it's a reality. Being here, now, in this country, in this city, is special. Feeling like this in my new home and the welcome I've received has been incredible. I'm very happy to be here. This is what dreams are made of. It's a very emotional moment for me. I can’t wait to get started."With club icon Xabi Alonso at the helm, Real Madrid will be eager to put a somewhat dismal 2024-25 season behind them. The addition of a world-class full-back like Trent Alexander-Arnold will likely play a major part in helping them return to the summit of Spanish and European football.
Was this article helpful?
Thank You for feedback
About the author
Aaryan Nagraj
Aaryan has been covering European football at Sportskeeda since the start of 2024. He is pursuing an integrated M.Sc. degree in Chemistry at NIT Rourkela, and tends to rely on his proclivity for numbers and statistics for his content, making the most of websites like Transfermarkt and FotMob. He is also a district level basketball and table tennis player.A Borussia Dortmund fan, Aaryan had his first tryst with football during the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Despite his young mind being influenced by Lionel Messi's exploits, his favorite World Cup moment is Cristiano Ronaldo's stunning free-kick against Spain from the 2018 version. He strongly believes that Jude Bellingham and Florian Wirtz can replicate the Messi-Ronaldo rivalry due to their respective potentials.Aaryan, who has been on commentary panels for football and cricket tournaments at his university, is a huge admirer of Achraf Hakimi for the Moroccan's loan stint in Dortmund between 2018 and 2020. His favorite manager is Jurgen Klopp, who impressed him with his excellent tactical nous and benignant man-management skills.When he is not scouring the internet for unique statistics, Aaryan follows the Indian Super League, the A-League, and the Saudi Pro League among others. He is an avid quizzer and debater, and a trained classical and western musician who likes to rock out for his college band, Euphony, as lead vocalist and guitarist.
Know More
Quick Links
More from Sportskeeda
Edited by Ritwik Kumar