Trent Alexander-Arnold says online abuse continues after Liverpool exit

Trent Alexander-Arnold says he continues to receive online abuse from some Liverpool supporters 14 months after leaving his boyhood club for Real Madrid. BBC Sport reported the 27-year-old's comments from an interview with the Mirror, in which he described the reaction as painful while expressing hope that fans may eventually understand his decision.

Watch the highlights:

What happened was a high-profile departure after Alexander-Arnold had spent two decades associated with Liverpool. He said he can accept booing and disappointment from supporters, but believes some online messages have gone beyond football. He continues to watch Liverpool's matches and said the club and city remain important to him.

Alexander-Arnold drew a distinction between abuse on social media and his experiences when returning to Merseyside to visit family. According to the BBC's account, he said none of his in-person encounters matched the hostility he sees online. He does not regard those messages as representative of Liverpool Football Club or the wider city.

His first season in Spain was disrupted, although he appeared in 35 of Real Madrid's 62 matches across all competitions. Alexander-Arnold was booed on his return to Anfield when Real lost 1-0 there in the Champions League in November. He said he is able to separate that stadium reaction from the more extreme messages received online.

The defender also addressed his omission from England's 2026 World Cup squad. He had entered the summer hoping to be selected by Thomas Tuchel and said he was deeply disappointed when informed that he would not travel. Alexander-Arnold's most recent appearance among his 34 England caps came as a substitute in a 1-0 victory over Andorra in June 2025.

Why it matters for Alexander-Arnold's immediate sporting future is his stated determination to regain an England place while establishing himself at Real Madrid. He said he remains available for selection until he retires and intends to use the World Cup disappointment as motivation. His comments preserve two separate positions: acceptance that Liverpool supporters may oppose his departure, and rejection of abuse that crosses beyond football.