Trent Alexander-Arnold has an uphill battle at Real Madrid if he wants to achieve his dream
Trent Alexander Arnold of Real Madrid during the LaLiga EA Sports match between Real Betis v Real Madrid at the Estadio La Cartuja on September 4, 2026 in Sevilla Spain
Jose Mourinho has a plan in place for Trent Alexander-Arnold (Image: 2024 Soccrates Images B.V.)
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Trent Alexander-Arnold's dream to win the Ballon d'Or has quickly unravelled. The former Liverpool defender certainly won't be aided in his quest to claim football's ultimate prize by Jose Mourinho's plan for him.
Becoming a success at Real Madrid is no easy feat. The expectations from the institution, fans and yourself are staggering, and one false step could even lead to the club's supporters turning on you. Just ask Gareth Bale.
The full-back has had a tough time of it in Spain, since leaving Anfield in a £10million deal last year. An injury-plagued debut campaign at the Santiago Bernabeu saw him make just 14 La Liga starts, while ending the season trophy-less.
The beginning of his sophomore season last month hasn't begun strongly, with Alexander-Arnold seemingly second-choice to Denzel Dumfries. The England international has started just one of Madrid's opening four games, with Mourinho preferring the Dutchman at right-back.
He first publicly admitted he wanted to win the Ballon d'Or in 2024 in an interview with Sky Sports. He said: "I believe I can. I want to be the first full-back to ever do it. It's only the morning after you retire that you're able to look in the mirror and say, 'I gave it everything I got."
Trent Alexander-Arnold and Yan Diomande players of Real Madrid are training during a training session
The England defender has started just one league game this season(Image: Real Madrid via Getty Images)
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Competing for the award is a pipe dream for Alexander-Arnold right now, who at very least needs to be a regular - and important - starter for his side to justify his name being involved in that conversation.
Relying on his own performance won't be enough to win the annual award, with the full-back needing Yan Diomande to quickly establish himself in Spain in order for him to realise his dream.
Mourinho admitted the pair, who came on together in the 64th minute in Madrid's 1-0 loss to Real Betis, complement each other well on the pitch. However, Diomande has struggled since his £120m move to Spain, accumulating just 87 minutes of action in four substitute appearances.
After the defeat, the Portuguese boss said: "The team has always been good. I haven't seen the stats, but we created a lot. We missed three or four clear chances and their goalkeeper made three or four impressive saves.
"I didn't make changes because I wasn't happy; they were to take off the players who had been booked. It's better to play with Trent and Yan Diomande than with Denzel Dumfries." Alexander-Arnold must ensure he returns to the form that he showed at Liverpool, while needing Diomande to acclimate to life in Spain quicker to reignite his Ballon d'Or dreams again.
Madrid must also end their two-year drought without a La Liga title or Champions League trophy, given the importance of team honours play in crowning the best player in the world.
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