Trent Alexander-Arnold endured a difficult start to life at Real Madrid as Spanish media roundly criticised his performance in Wednesday's 1-1 Club World Cup draw against Al Hilal in Florida.
The former Liverpool defender, who joined Madrid for £8.5 million earlier this summer, struggled throughout his 64-minute debut and received poor ratings from multiple Spanish publications.
Sport and Football Espana both awarded him just 5 out of 10, whilst Goal and Defensa Central issued identical ratings for what was described as an "underwhelming" first appearance in the famous white shirt.
The England international failed to make his mark in either defence or attack during the Group G opener.
Trent Alexander-Arnold endured a difficult start to life at Real Madrid as Spanish media roundly criticised his performance in Wednesday's 1-1 Club World Cup draw against Al Hilal in Florida
REUTERS
Spanish media were scathing in their assessment of the 26-year-old's display.
Sport criticised his inability to adapt to the extreme Florida heat and noted that "physically far from his best, it wasn't the best debut for the Englishman, who also failed to contribute offensively."
Football Espana echoed these concerns, stating: "There has been much talk about Trent Alexander-Arnold ahead of his debut, but it was an underwhelming one. He was not at his best defensively, and he struggled to make an impact in attack before being substituted."
Darts commentator emotional after 'absolutely out of order' Luke Littler incident
Trent Alexander-Arnold was flat on his Real Madrid debut at the Club World Cup
REUTERS
Goal's verdict was equally damning, observing that "some of his passing was loose, and he was badly exposed defensively" during the encounter.
Real Madrid were held to a frustrating draw after Federico Valverde missed a crucial stoppage-time penalty that would have secured victory.
The match had seen Gonzalo Garcia give Madrid the lead in the first half before Ruben Neves equalised from the spot for the Saudi Pro League side.
Alexander-Arnold's struggles were evident throughout his time on the pitch, with reports noting he "never looked comfortable" in his positioning and created no meaningful advantages for his team. His performance led to an early substitution after just 64 minutes.
The result leaves Madrid needing positive results in their remaining group matches to progress in the tournament.
Despite the underwhelming performance, Alexander-Arnold remained defiant about his decision to leave Liverpool.
"It's a very proud moment for me. It's a moment that most, if not all players, dream of at some point in their life," he told reporters after the match.
The defender acknowledged the challenging conditions but expressed no regrets about his move.
Real Madrid were forced to settle for a 1-1 draw in their Club World Cup showdown with Al-Hilal
REUTERS
"It was very challenging to play in that heat and very different from England," he admitted.
"It's the first time I've moved clubs. I didn't know what to expect and it's a big change but I'm loving every single minute of it. In my mind and in my heart, I know that I made the right decision for me."