Trent Alexander-Arnold has said it would be an honour to face Cristiano Ronaldo in the Champions League final having grown up watching him on YouTube but he says he is not overawed by the challenge against Real Madrid.
Stopping Ronaldo and Madrid’s formidable attack on 26 May will be the final task of a highly impressive season with Liverpool for the right-back, who is also in Gareth Southgate’s thoughts for England’s World Cup squad.
The 19-year-old, named Liverpool’s young player of the year at the club’s awards ceremony last week, admits the five‑times Champions League winner and the competition’s leading goalscorer will pose the biggest test of his career in Kiev. But he insists Ronaldo will not be Liverpool’s sole focus.
“Real Madrid are a very strong team,” Alexander-Arnold said. “No matter who you’re going to play against it’s going to be one of the best players in the world because that’s the nature of the team they have. With Ronaldo being one of the greats, probably one of the best players ever, it’s going to be an honour to hopefully play against him. I’m looking forward to it.
“I want to challenge myself and test myself against the best players in the world and there’s not many people better than Ronaldo. It will be a huge test for everyone and hopefully we come out on top.”
Alexander-Arnold idolised Steven Gerrard as a young Liverpool fan while also admiring Lionel Messi and Ronaldo. “Not when he was playing for Man United, though,” he said of the Portugal international.
“You have to admit he’s an unbelievable player and he’s done exceptional things in the game. The numbers that he does season in, season out are absolutely unbelievable.
“I know a lot about him and the likes of Messi because I watched them on YouTube growing up. You always watch those type of players. But you’ve just got to focus on the game and, if he’s a direct opponent, you have to see what the strengths and weaknesses are and use them to your advantage. Come May 26, we’ll be looking to stop him and the rest of Real Madrid.”
Alexander-Arnold has made 32 appearances for Jürgen Klopp’s team this season and finished the last of them, against Brighton on Sunday, by inviting a young Liverpool fan, Louis Henry, on the club’s lap of honour. The eight‑year‑old has cerebral palsy and was pushed around Anfield in his wheelchair by Alexander‑Arnold, whose mother delivered match tickets and players’ lounge passes to the Henry family the night before the game.
The right-back will become the youngest player to appear in a European Cup final for Liverpool if he is selected in Kiev.
