“Now it’s time to move up a level” - Trent Alexander-Arnold reveals ‘hardest thing’ he had to overcome at Real Madrid first

Trent Alexander-Arnold has revealed that the language barrier was the most difficult obstacle he has had to deal with at Real Madrid after making a high-profile move from Liverpool. The England international officially joined Madrid as a free agent in May, putting pen to paper on a six-year deal that runs until June 30, 2031.

Given that he has spent his whole career at Liverpool, many would have expected Alexander-Arnold to start life in Spain with little or no knowledge of the language. However, the 26-year-old thrilled the crowd during his Madrid unveiling by delivering the entirety of his speech in fluent Spanish. He even described signing for the club as a ‘dream come true’ in Spanish.

Los Blancos recently took to the pitch to play against Red Bull Salzburg in their final group game of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup. They progressed to the knockout stages as group leaders after they beat the Austrian side 3-1 in Philadelphia. Speaking in a post-match interaction, Alexander-Arnold admitted that settling into a new culture wasn’t easy. However, he said he now feels fully integrated and ready to elevate his game even further.

He said (via Madrid Xtra):

“Learning the language was the hardest thing at first. The adjustment period is now OVER, and now it's time to move up a level.”

Alexander-Arnold made his debut for Madrid against Al-Hilal on June 18. He has played all three of Los Blancos’ Club World Cup matches so far. However, he has yet to make a goal contribution.

What Trent Alexander-Arnold said in Spanish during his Real Madrid unveiling

Trent Alexander-Arnold was unveiled as a new Los Blancos player on June 12, 2025, with the event taking place at Real Madrid City. After a speech for club president Florentino Perez, Arnold took to the stage and spoke in Spanish.

He said (via Sky Sports):

"Thank you Florentino Perez and the club for this opportunity. This doesn't happen every day. It's a dream come true. I'm very happy and proud to be here. I want to show Real Madrid fans how I play. I do realise I'm signing for Real Madrid, the demands are high, but I'm going to give my all to the team and Real Madrid fans. I want to show those fans how I play. I want to win many titles, I want to be a winner here and enjoy playing alongside the best. Hala Madrid."

When he was asked later in a press conference how long he had been learning the language, he said he had been studying it for ‘a few months’ in preparation for the move.

Edited by Nived Zenith