Trent Alexander-Arnold made his official debut for Real Madrid in their opening match of the FIFA Club World Cup group stage against Al-Hilal last night.
The English full-back, signed from Liverpool and presented as a new signing on 12 June, started the match against Al-Hilal and played 65 minutes.
Trent was one of two debutants in the Real Madrid starting XI alongside Dean Huijsen and while the young centre-back had an impressive game, the same could not be said of the England star.
Room for improvement
Speaking to club media after the game, Trent admitted that making his debut for Real Madrid was an incredible feeling but insisted that there is a lot of room for improvement for the team.
“Making my debut was incredible. Playing for Real Madrid is something everyone dreams about, although we’re also disappointed not to have won. It’s part of the Real Madrid mentality to win every game,” he said.
Talking about the performance on the night, the 26-year-old noted: “There were a lot of positives, especially in the second half. In the second half, we had possession, and that’s what we lacked in the first.
“We have to keep the ball as long as possible to make the opponents run. In the second half, we did better; we made them defend much more and we got into the box a lot.”
Trent Alexander-Arnold made his Real Madrid debut. (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)
About the penalty that they conceded, he added: “Penalties happen in football. No one is to blame. There are things we need to work on, and I’m sure we’ll do better for the next game.”
The new signing thanked the Real Madrid fans for supporting him, saying: “It’s been incredible. I’ve felt the support from the moment I signed. Real Madrid fans are all over the world. You feel that support in the hotel, at training, on social media….
“We want to thank them. We’ve had the majority of support in the stands and it’s been fantastic.”
Talking about his adaptation to the team and his command over the Spanish language, Trent added:
“I’ve been learning Spanish for a couple of months. When I found out I was coming, I wanted to learn so I could adapt. It was important to me. New country, new team, and new city….
“It’s important to show that you’re willing to adapt to the culture as best you can. That’s what I’m doing.”