Trent Alexander-Arnold will be forced to watch this summer's World Cup from afar, but the ex-Liverpool man will have every right to feel hard done by as he wonders 'what if?'
04:00, 23 May 2026Updated 07:19, 23 May 2026
Trent Alexander-Arnold was the forgotten man as Thomas Tuchel named his 26-man England squad
Trent Alexander-Arnold was the forgotten man as Thomas Tuchel named his 26-man England squad(Image: Getty Images)
Trent Alexander-Arnold broke the hearts of Liverpool fans last summer, and there'll be a fair few allowing themselves a wry smile at the defender missing out on the England squad for the World Cup - but few could argue he doesn't deserve to be in the 26-man team.
Alexander-Arnold's final year at Anfield was plagued with constant speculation about his future, with Real Madrid always the most likely destination for him considering the end of his contract was coming up. When January 2025 came around, and Madrid tried its hand at getting him a few months early, it became little more than an open secret and Reds fans started to turn their backs on him.
The season ended with Liverpool securing the Premier League title with ease, and Alexander-Arnold holding a farewell party at the club's training ground - much to the displeasure of supporters - before he made his grand Madrid gamble.
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Alexander-Arnold was trading being beloved for the chance to play for the biggest club in the world. He was destined to become Liverpool captain after Virgil van Dijk's inevitable departure, but instead he's struggled with injuries, watched the head coach he loved - Xabi Alonso - forced out, and now the biggest setback of all; he'll be watching the World Cup from the comfort of his sofa.
His teammate and friend Jude Bellingham will be leading Thomas Tuchel's team in the United States, and realistically the right-back should be right there with him.
Alexander-Arnold may be the most gifted footballer England has produced since Wayne Rooney, but bizarrely enough, it's that very talent that may be the reason for his exclusion.
Trent Alexander-Arnold was snubbed by England head coach Thomas Tuchel
Trent Alexander-Arnold was snubbed by England head coach Thomas Tuchel(Image: Photo by Joan Valls/Urbanandsport/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
The 27-year-old has been tried in midfield before for the Three Lions, and it hasn't worked. He doesn't really work as a right-back in the England system due to the style of play the team adopts. He's a man in limbo.
There's no denying Liverpool would have been streets better this season if Arne Slot was still naming his former No.66 in defense. Nobody can collect the ball deep in his team's half and create a chance with one swing of their right foot - but Alexander-Arnold can.
Why Tuchel wouldn't want a playmaker like that in his team, I can't quite figure out. Reece James is a fine footballer and brilliant defender - he might even be better than Alexander-Arnold at that - but his creative output doesn't come close.
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However, rather than make this about who Tuchel should have left at home, it's better to just focus on how good Alexander-Arnold could have been for this England team.
With Marcus Rashford on the left wing and Bukayo Saka on the right, who else in world football is there who would have been better suited to unlock England's wingers and set them free behind opposing defenses? I haven't even mentioned his excellence when it comes to set-pieces, and unfortunately we all know how much corners and free-kicks dominate the sport at the moment.
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Instead, Alexander-Arnold will now prepare to work under a third Madrid head coach in the space of 12 months, with Jose Mourinho widely expected to take over at the Bernabeau.
He will forever be followed by his - perhaps ill-advised - comments about wanting to win the Ballon d'Or. That dream has never felt further away than it does right now. I doubt he regrets his decision to leave Anfield, but it must be hard to wonder 'what if?'