Roberto Carlos has given his verdict on Real Madrid star Trent Alexander-Arnold after a difficult start to life at the Bernabeu following his summer transfer from Liverpool.
Trent Alexander-Arnold made the move to Madrid after Liverpool’s title-winning 2024/25 campaign, opting for a new challenge in Spain – a decision that received mixed reactions from Reds fans.
However, it hasn’t quite gone to plan so far. After a slow start, the England international has lost his place in Real Madrid’s starting XI and didn’t get a single minute during a dramatic El Clasico at the weekend.
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That’s why it’s particularly interesting to see what a Real Madrid legend like Roberto Carlos has to say about him after such a challenging few months.
Roberto Carlos gives Trent Alexander-Arnold verdict
The Brazilian icon, who knows a thing or two about being a full-back, shared his latest thoughts on the former Liverpool man in an interview with GOAL.
He was asked to name his greatest full-back of all time and was given a list of legendary names to compare. When Alexander-Arnold came up – matched against Cafu – Carlos said: “Caramba. [Trent] Alexander-Arnold is a very good player, but the history… I have to go with Cafu.”
Carlos had previously picked Cafu over several other greats without hesitation, so for Alexander-Arnold even to enter that conversation does speak volumes.
Alexander-Arnold remains a superb player – he just needs time to adapt. The Spanish league is monumentally different to the Premier League, and the 27-year-old is evidently still navigating around that.
Trent Alexander-Arnold handed Real Madrid lifeline after Dani Carvajal injury
Real Madrid captain Dani Carvajal is set to miss several other matches due to injury, potentially opening the door for Alexander-Arnold to return to the starting XI.
“Following tests carried out on our captain, Dani Carvajal, by the Real Madrid Medical Services, he has been diagnosed with a loose joint in his right knee,” read a club statement on Monday. “Carvajal will undergo arthroscopy.”
With that in mind, the English full-back could be in line to face his former club Liverpool in a blockbuster Champions League tie on Tuesday, 4 November 2025.
Will he turn it around as a Galactico? Or is Trent destined for a way back to England’s top flight, potentially at Liverpool, during some stage of his career?