Trent Alexander-Arnold reflects on his ‘amazing’ debut with Real Madrid in the FIFA Club World Cup, even though the match against Al Hilal ended in a draw.

Trent Alexander-Arnold’s debut for Real Madrid may have concluded in a draw, but the defender was far from disappointed on a personal level. The England international made the high-profile switch from Liverpool to Los Blancos earlier this summer, a move that was expedited to ensure his participation in the FIFA Club World Cup.

He made his first appearance for the Spanish giants in a 1-1 draw against Saudi Arabian side Al Hilal. Despite the result not meeting the expectations typically associated with Madrid, Alexander-Arnold expressed that the occasion was a dream come true.

“An amazing day to make my debut for Real Madrid,” he told Channel 5. “Almost what every player dreams of. There was some disappointment to not have won the game. The mentality you need to have as a Real Madrid player is to expect to win every game you’re playing, but a lot of positives, especially in the second half.”

The 25-year-old continued to share his excitement about the experience, saying, “It was incredible. I felt the support from the moment that I signed for the club, to be honest. Absolutely sensational. It’s a fanbase that is global, truly global. You feel it every single day; the fans at the training ground and the hotel. All over social media as well, the support is incredible. We dominated the stands today as well, which was incredible. The support is truly amazing.”

Real Madrid initially took control of the match, going ahead in the 34th minute through Gonzalo Garcia. However, their opponents equalised just before half-time when former Wolves player Ruben Neves converted a penalty.

Xabi Alonso, who was making his debut as Real Madrid’s manager after his move from Bayer Leverkusen, sought to change the dynamics of the game by introducing players like Arda Guler and Brahim Diaz. The team even had a chance to snatch a late victory from the penalty spot in injury time, but goalkeeper Yassine Bounou thwarted Federico Valverde’s attempt.

By that stage, Alexander-Arnold had already been substituted in the 64th minute. He acknowledged that his new teammates improved significantly after the break, stating, “Especially in the second half, I think we kept the ball really well. I think that’s what we lacked, maybe, in the first half. Especially in the climate, in the heat, it’s probably best to keep hold of the ball for as long as you can, let the other team do the running.”

He added, “We did that in the second half. We made them sit deep. We were in and around their box a lot, putting in crosses, getting shots off. It just wasn’t meant to be. Of course, we had the penalty late on, but these things do happen in football. No one is to blame. We take the positives. We have things that we can work on as well, and I’m sure we’ll do that going into the next game.”