Alexander-Arnold anger expected but Anfield exit is sad | OneFootball

Trent Alexander-Arnold is not set for the fairytale farewell at Liverpool he hoped for.

His decision to leave Liverpool has divided a fanbase, with the reaction loud and clear during Sunday’s draw with Arsenal. Introduced from the bench, boos were audible inside Anfield.

There is a large section of Liverpool fans unhappy with Alexander-Arnold, a homegrown hero who has decided to depart. Arne Slot’s side have won the Premier League this season, emerging as England’s finest in the Dutchman’s first season at the helm.

This is a Liverpool side on top, winning trophies, and with an exciting future. Alexander-Arnold’s exit has confused and angered. It’s been two decades since Alexander-Arnold entered the academy, with the journey since one almost entirely upward.

Fans love nothing more than seeing their own succeed and Alexander-Arnold was the epitome of that. He broke into the team as a teenager and was an integral part of the club’s greatest modern highs. Far from an orthodox right-back, he has contributed to changing perceptions of how the position should be played.

Jamie Carragher once famously said that no one wanted to grow up to be a Gary Neville. Impressionable young Liverpool fans will have definitely wanted to grow up to be Alexander-Arnold. Or at least they did.

A boyhood fan, this was his dream, one shared by everyone in attendance at Anfield. Liverpool fans have fulfilled those dreams through Alexander-Arnold, living vicariously through every assist, defence-splitting pass or fabulous free-kick. Here, in the number 66 shirt he wore from the very start, was a vessel for them. How could he possibly walk away?

But Alexander-Arnold is unashamedly ambitious. Earlier this year, he discussed a desire to become the first full-back to win the Ballon d’Or. The Spanish behemoth have 12 Ballon d’Or wins shared between eight players. Liverpool have just one.

For all the acknowledgement that the Premier League is the biggest domestic product in the game, only three English-based players have claimed the Ballon d’Or in the Premier League era. In that same period, La Liga has had 10 different winners. It is, perhaps unarguable, that Real Madrid is football’s biggest stage.

Alexander-Arnold’s ambition to be the best should mean his decision to leave comes as little surprise. At 26, having won everything possible at Liverpool, he has refocused his sights.

A new challenge, culture, league, lifestyle and language has tempted Alexander-Arnold away, keen to challenge himself out of his Anfield comfort zone. Even given the enormity of Liverpool, there is no higher-pressure environment than Real Madrid.

Anger, upset, disappointment and frustration are all valid feelings for Liverpool fans. But it can be simultaneously true that Alexander-Arnold does not need to be vilified for his decision.

Deep-rooted in Liverpool’s DNA is their You’ll Never Walk Alone mantra. That was not the case on Sunday, when Alexander-Arnold was booed while still wearing the red shirt he has represented with distinction for so long. A heroes send-off is not required, though neither is this.

This is a footballer who has brought so much to the fanbase, who, in some sections, have turned. It’s a sad end to what should be an unforgettable chapter.

Read – Premier League Awards: Marinakis meltdown, Cash clears

See more – Premier League Team of the Week: Eze, Burn, Wieffer

Follow The Football Faithful on Social Media:

Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube | TikTok