Trent Alexander-Arnold raised eyebrows before leaving Liverpool when he expressed his goal of one day winning the Ballon d'Or. His move to Real Madrid was widely interpreted as a push to try and help make that dream come true.
So far, it's fair to say that things aren't going well on that particular front. That point has just been brutally underscored by some savage criticism from none other than the person who represents Spain in the Ballon d'Or voting process.
Returning from injury in the Champions League defeat to Liverpool, Alexander-Arnold would have hoped to kick on from there. But his stint in Spain is rapidly descending into a nightmare.
With Carvajal sidelined, Alexander-Arnold made his third consecutive start on Sunday against struggling Girona. But rather than cementing his credentials, the former Liverpool vice-captain's recent foray in the first team has only exposed him to greater criticism.
Alfredo Relano is a renowned Spanish journalist, by virtue of which he is given a vote in the Ballon d'Or. And in a piece for Marca, he ripped into Alexander-Arnold.
"Now that Trent is here, he seems like a clueless and insubstantial player, with the expression of a rabbit in the headlights," Relano ranted. "His quality at set pieces is masked by his right foot, but in open play he is non-existent.”
Alexander-Arnold is at least being referred to as "Trent" now, so one part of his great rebrand seems to be going to plan. But on the pitch, his new fans are yet to be convinced.
Where Liverpool supporters would once have defended his every flaw, he is yet to build any credit in the bank in Madrid. So far, all they have seen is an injury-prone defender who isn't convincing defensively, with zero goals or assists to his name in the league or in Europe.
Trent Alexander-Arnold of Real Madrid warms up before the LaLiga EA Sports match between Girona FC and Real Madrid at the Montilivi Stadium in Girona, Spain, on November 30, 2025.
Alexander-Arnold looks a long way from the Ballon d'Or. (Image: Ruben De La Rosa/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
It is, to put it mildly, a tough sell. And while Liverpool knows how valuable Alexander-Arnold can be when you build around him, that was clearly never going to happen at the Bernabeu.
Liverpool has no shortage of star names itself. But walking into a team with Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Jr, and Jude Bellingham (to name a few), it always seemed improbable that a right-back would make himself the top dog.
Of course, time remains on Alexander-Arnold's side. Another, more balanced report from Marca noted that he has been a "mixed bag" since coming into the side.
It describes a "foot that shines, and a retreat that still works against him". It seems to be a case of new country, same debate.
But while it is still early days in Alexander-Arnold's Spanish adventure, Real Madrid is not renowned for its patience. It will not lose any sleep about cutting its losses if it decides the 27-year-old does not fit into the long-term plan.
Naturally, the man who backed himself for a Ballon d'Or will remain confident of turning things around. But the external verdict from Spain so far has not been positive.