Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Trent Alexander-Arnold

Discover the career path of Trent Alexander-Arnold, from the first major opportunity to industry-changing achievements.

Trent Alexander-Arnold is an English professional footballer recognized as one of the world's best right-backs. He currently plays for Real Madrid and the England national team. Known for exceptional passing range, crossing ability, assists, and set-piece expertise, Alexander-Arnold's versatility has led to occasional deployments as a midfielder for both club and country, highlighting his adaptability and skill set.

Sections (3)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements Success & Recognition

2004: Joined Liverpool's Academy

In 2004, Alexander-Arnold joined Liverpool's academy, marking the beginning of his youth career with the club.

2015: Featured at the 2015 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Chile

In 2015, Alexander-Arnold represented England at various youth levels and featured at the 2015 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Chile.

2015: Unofficial Debut for Liverpool

In the buildup to the 2015–16 season, Alexander-Arnold was selected in the first team squad and marked his unofficial debut for Liverpool in a pre-season friendly against Swindon Town.

October 2016: Professional Debut Against Tottenham Hotspur

On 25 October 2016, Alexander-Arnold made his professional debut for Liverpool, starting in a 2–1 victory over Tottenham Hotspur in the fourth round of the EFL Cup. He also earned a spot in the EFL Cup Team of the Round.

2016: Senior Debut for Liverpool

In 2016, at the age of 18, Alexander-Arnold made his senior debut for Liverpool, beginning his professional career with the club.

January 2017: First Premier League Start

On 15 January 2017, Alexander-Arnold made his first Premier League start in a 1–1 draw with Manchester United.

August 2017: First Goal for Liverpool

On 15 August 2017, Alexander-Arnold scored his first goal for Liverpool from a free kick in a Champions League play-off round win over 1899 Hoffenheim.

2017: England U19 qualification

In 2017, Alexander-Arnold scored three goals for the England U19 team, including a brace against Croatia and another against Spain which secured England's qualification for the 2017 UEFA European Under-19 Championship.

2017: Set-piece specialist

Since the 2017–18 season, Alexander-Arnold has been one of Liverpool's designated set-piece specialists for deadball situations.

March 2018: Invited to train with the senior national team

In March 2018, while part of the U21 team, Alexander-Arnold was invited to train with the senior national team for the first time ahead of their friendly matches against Italy and the Netherlands.

May 2018: First call-up to England's squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup

In May 2018, Alexander-Arnold received his first call-up to the senior England national team when he was named in Gareth Southgate's squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

June 2018: England debut and World Cup appearance

In June 2018, Alexander-Arnold debuted for England on June 7th, starting in a 2–0 pre-tournament friendly win over Costa Rica. On June 28th, he made his debut in the 2018 FIFA World Cup, starting in a 1–0 group-stage defeat to Belgium.

November 2018: First senior international goal

On November 15, 2018, Alexander-Arnold scored his first senior international goal for England in a friendly against the United States at Wembley Stadium.

2018: Senior Debut for England

In 2018, Alexander-Arnold made his senior debut for England and featured at the 2018 FIFA World Cup, becoming only the fourth teenager to start a match for England in the tournament.

2018: Champions League Final Appearance

In 2018, Alexander-Arnold played in the UEFA Champions League final. His appearance marked his rise in European football.

2018: Set-piece specialist

Since the 2017–18 season, Alexander-Arnold has been one of Liverpool's designated set-piece specialists for deadball situations. In 2018–19 Champions League semi-final, Alexander-Arnold's craft and intelligence from deadball situations was singled out for particular praise after he assisted the winning goal by delivering a quickly-taken corner.

February 2019: Three Assists in a Single Premier League Match

On 27 February 2019, Alexander-Arnold became the youngest player to record three assists in a single Premier League match in a 5–0 win over Watford.

March 2019: Boot sponsorship and community pitches

In March 2019, after signing a new boot sponsorship with Under Armour, Alexander-Arnold initiated plans to purchase plots in Liverpool and use the funds to construct new pitches for the community.

June 2019: UEFA Nations League

In June 2019, Alexander-Arnold was part of the England squad which ended third at the inaugural UEFA Nations League and played the full match in a penalty shoot-out win over Switzerland in the third-place play-off.

2019: Champions League Winner

In 2019, Alexander-Arnold won the UEFA Champions League with Liverpool and was named in the Champions League Squad of the Season. He also won the UEFA Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup.

April 2020: Support for healthcare workers during COVID-19 pandemic

In April 2020, Alexander-Arnold teamed up with Under Armour to support doctors, nurses, and key workers battling the COVID-19 Pandemic. Alexander-Arnold and Under Armour provided over 2,000 products for workers at the Royal Liverpool University Hospital.

2020: Forced to withdraw from UEFA Euro 2020 due to injury

In 2020, Alexander-Arnold was named in England's 26-man squad for the UEFA Euro 2020 but was forced to withdraw eight days before the competition commenced after sustaining a thigh injury during a pre-tournament friendly against Austria.

2020: PFA Young Player of the Year

In 2020, Alexander-Arnold was named the PFA Young Player of the Year and the inaugural Premier League Young Player of the Season. He also helped Liverpool win the 2019–20 Premier League and was selected in the FIFA FIFPRO Men's World 11.

2021: Domestic Cup Double

In the 2021–22 season, Alexander-Arnold claimed a domestic cup double, winning the EFL Cup and FA Cup with Liverpool.

May 2022: Youngest player to win six major trophies

In May 2022, following Liverpool's victory over Chelsea in the 2022 FA Cup Final, Alexander-Arnold became the youngest-ever player to win six major trophies for an English club at the age of 23 years and 219 days. The trophies were the FIFA Club World Cup, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Super Cup, Premier League, FA Cup and League Cup. He also came 22nd in the 2022 Ballon d'Or and was selected as part of the Champions League Team of the Season.

November 2022: 2022 FIFA World Cup squad

On November 10, 2022, Alexander-Arnold was named in England's 26-man squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. He made one appearance against Wales in the group stage.

2022: Featured at the 2022 World Cup

In 2022, Alexander-Arnold featured at the World Cup for England.

2022: Switch to inverted full-back role

In 2022, following a sub-standard run of club form, Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp decided to switch Alexander-Arnold to an inverted full-back role, allowing him to see more of the ball and play further up the pitch. At the end of the 2022–23 season, Liverpool narrowly missed out on UEFA Champions League qualification.

April 2023: Setting up The After Academy

In April 2023, Alexander-Arnold set up The After Academy, an initiative funded by him for the next five years that will support and aide former academy footballers who did not make it past academy level. The After Academy is being run with the co-operation of the PFA and Alexander-Arnold's sponsors, Red Bull, Under Armour and Therabody.

April 2023: 50th Premier League assist and consecutive Premier League matches with an assist

In April 2023, Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp switched Alexander-Arnold to an inverted full-back role. On April 17, 2023, Alexander-Arnold provided his 50th assist in the Premier League in a victory away to Leeds United. On April 30, 2023, Alexander-Arnold became the first person to assist a goal in five consecutive Premier League matches twice.

June 2023: UEFA Euro 2024 qualifier goal and praise

On June 16, 2023, Alexander-Arnold scored a long-ranged goal in a 4–0 victory in the UEFA Euro 2024 qualifiers against Malta and was described as having "oozed class".

July 2023: Named Liverpool's vice-captain

In July 2023, following the departure of James Milner, Alexander-Arnold was named as Liverpool's new vice-captain, acting as deputy to Virgil van Dijk.

November 2023: First goal of the 2023-24 season

On November 25, 2023, Alexander-Arnold scored his first goal of the 2023–24 season, an equaliser against Manchester City in a 1–1 draw at the City of Manchester Stadium.

January 2024: Knee injury and record for most Premier League assists by a defender

In January 2024, during a match against Arsenal, Alexander-Arnold hyperextended his knee, causing him to suffer a small tear in a lateral ligament and was ruled out for an estimated three weeks. On February 10, 2024, he assisted Diogo Jota's goal against Burnley, making him the defender with the highest number of assists in Premier League history, overtaking his Liverpool teammate Andrew Robertson.

June 2024: Goal and Player of the Match in Euro 2024 warm-up; named in Euro 2024 squad

On June 3, 2024, in a Euro 2024 warm-up match against Bosnia and Herzegovina, Alexander-Arnold scored his third England goal and was named Player of the Match. On June 6, 2024, he was named in England's 26-man squad for UEFA Euro 2024, where he was listed as a midfielder and assigned the number 8 shirt.

August 2024: First match under Arne Slot and Premier League assist record

On August 17, 2024, Alexander-Arnold started at right back and played 76 minutes in Arne Slot's first match as Liverpool manager, a 2–0 win over Ipswich Town. During the 3–3 draw against Newcastle United at St. James' Park, Alexander-Arnold contributed two assists from the substitutes bench, becoming the first defender in Premier League history to record 60 assists.

2024: Euro 2024

In 2024, Alexander-Arnold started England's opening match of Euro 2024, partnering Declan Rice in central midfield as the team beat Serbia 1–0. He played 69 minutes before being substituted. He went on to start the second match against Denmark, being substituted in the 54th minute, before playing the final six minutes of the final match against Slovenia as a substitute. In the quarter-final against Switzerland, Alexander-Arnold appeared as a substitute and scored England's decisive fifth kick of the penalty shootout.

2024: UEFA Euro 2024 qualifier goal and praise

On June 16, 2023, Alexander-Arnold scored a long-ranged goal in a 4–0 victory in the UEFA Euro 2024 qualifiers against Malta and was described as having "oozed class". Alexander-Arnold played in the same 'Number 10' role in the next game and was likewise praised.

January 2025: Captaincy and goal in FA Cup match

On January 11, 2025, Alexander-Arnold captained the side and scored the second goal of a 4–0 win over Accrington Stanley in the third round of the FA Cup.

April 2025: 350th appearance for Liverpool

On April 20, 2025, Alexander-Arnold returned to the Liverpool squad on April 20th as a 71st-minute substitute against Leicester City, making his 350th appearance for the club. Five minutes later he scored the only goal of the match to take Liverpool within one win of securing a 20th English league title.

May 2025: Signing with Real Madrid

On May 30, 2025, Alexander-Arnold signed a six-year contract with La Liga club Real Madrid. Real Madrid paid Liverpool a fee to secure the transfer before Alexander-Arnold's contract expired so that he would be able to represent the club in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup. He became the seventh Englishman to join Real Madrid in the professional era.

May 2025: Decision to leave Liverpool

On May 5, 2025, eight days after winning the Premier League title, Alexander-Arnold announced that he had decided to leave Liverpool at the end of the season, bringing an end to his 20 year association with the club.