You know when it became really obvious that the sun was setting on Trent Alexander-Arnold's Liverpool career? It had nothing to do with the transfer links, the fist-pumping after big games or even his own silence on his future – it was all the talk of individual trophies. “I want to be the first right-back to win the Ballon d'Or,” he told FourFourTwo in an exclusive interview – before reiterating that ambition upon signing for Real Madrid.
But come on, where is the logic in that? Why would you go to Real Madrid to stand out? Eight Los Blancos players have lifted the award – more than any other club – and in this day and age, the voters usually just converge upon a star of whoever has won the Champions League. But as was dramatically proven in 2024, that's where your colleagues can split the vote. Although he'd scored in the Champions League final that year, if Vinicius Jr had scooped team-mate Dani Carvajal's votes, he'd have comfortably beaten Rodri. That Jude Bellingham was also an option that year confused things further.
