When asked if he would prefer to win the Ballon d’Or or take over as Liverpool captain, Trent Alexander-Arnold‘s response was not what many fans would hope.
Alexander-Arnold is one of – if not the – best players in his position in world football, and lays claim to being one of the finest to ever play at right-back.
That makes Liverpool tying him down to a new long-term contract of paramount importance, as despite the quality of Conor Bradley in reserve, there is no replacing the No. 66.
There are still doubts over whether Alexander-Arnold will commit his future to the club, particularly with Real Madrid lurking, and his latest comments could be a concern.
In an interview with Sky Sports’ Harriet Prior, the 26-year-old was asked to pick out of four options for what he would most like to achieve in his career.
The options were: win another Champions League; win the Ballon d’Or; become Liverpool captain; or win a trophy for England.
“[It’s a dream], but I’ve already captained Liverpool. Technically I have already captained Liverpool,” he replied.
“I mean, I would want to be Liverpool captain, but it’s not my decision, so that can’t really be in [consideration here].
“Win a World Cup with England, that would change the game, [but] I’d say win a Ballon d’Or. For sure. Because I believe I can.
“I want to be the first full-back to ever do it.”
Alexander-Arnold has long maintained that his dream was to be Liverpool captain, so how quickly he cast that option aside could be a worry given the current situation.
However, there is also a sense that, having achieved everything he already has, the playmaker has simply set his sights higher – and that could still come at Anfield.
“I said it in that interview when I was with England, it’s only the day after your retire, you’re able to look yourself in the mirror and say ‘I gave it everything I’ve got’,” he added.
“It doesn’t matter how many trophies you win, it doesn’t matter how many medals you’ve got; it matters about what you’ve given to the game and if you’ve reached your full potential.
“I’ve heard ‘potential’ being thrown around my name since I was six.
“Got the potential to do this, got the potential to do that, and then get older, he’s got the potential to be a first-team player, got the potential to play for England, got the potential to be a captain, be a vice-captain.
“If you reach that potential and you know you’ve hit that potential and you’ve given it everything to maximise that potential, and be the player that you believe you can be – which is one of the best ever – then you’ll be happy.
“It doesn’t matter how many trophies you win, I guess.
“I believe [I can win the Ballon d’Or], some people may call me deluded, but I believe I can.”
Alexander-Arnold has clearly put the onus on Liverpool to convince him that he can cement his status as the best ever with the club, rather than elsewhere – and in the context of the Ballon d’Or that could of course be an issue.
Twelve of the last 14 Ballon d’Ors have gone to players in LaLiga, with the other two awarded to Lionel Messi while at Paris Saint-Germain and Inter Miami.
It could come down to the overall success of Arne Slot‘s Liverpool, then, and the wider recognition of Alexander-Arnold’s role in that.
“[I want to be seen as] a legend of football, someone who changed the game, that’s a mantra that I have: don’t play the game, change the game,” he continued.
“So I just want that legacy of being probably the greatest right-back to ever play football, if I’m honest.
“I know that there’s been many out there, but I’ve got to reach for the stars. That’s where I believe my ceiling can go.”
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