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"I make that run over and over and only a certain kind of player has the technique, ability and courage to risk playing that pass," said goalscorer Anthony Gordon following England's 2-0 UEFA Nations League victory against Czechia on Tuesday.
"Credit to Trent, that's what makes him so special. I've been eager to play alongside him for exactly that reason."
Trent Alexander-Arnold's first England start in more than two years turned out to be a successful one, with the right back delivering a trademark whipped cross for Gordon to head home the opener in Prague.
The Real Madrid star has had limited opportunities with the Three Lions in recent seasons and, before Tuesday, had featured for just 26 minutes of soccer under manager Thomas Tuchel—fewer than the likes of Rio Ngumoha, Conor Gallagher or Dominic Solanke.
But Alexander-Arnold demonstrated his value against Czechia in a match England controlled throughout, generating three chances (including his assist) and playing 12 balls into the final third. His creative influence from deep proved especially valuable as the Czechs retreated and sat back after Pavel Šulc was dismissed midway through the first half.
When he's firing on all cylinders and able to display his full passing repertoire, Alexander-Arnold's absence from any starting lineup seems almost inexplicable.
'I've Always Believed'—Alexander-Arnold on Comeback
Speaking to ITV after the game, the 27-year-old reflected on his near-comeback: "It was incredible, always an honour and privilege to represent my country.
"It's been a long time but I've always had faith that I can play for England and I always want to.
"The belief never left me, it's about proving it at club level. The manager gave me the opportunity tonight to play and to try to carry out what he asked of me to the best of my ability. Hopefully he's satisfied with my performance."
Gordon, a fellow Liverpudlian who made the move from Merseyside to Spain, spoke glowingly about Alexander-Arnold after the match, adding: "He would have liked more playing time than he's had but he's a fantastic character. He's a real asset."
Why Isn't Alexander-Arnold a Regular for England?
74% - England have won 74.1% of the matches Trent Alexander-Arnold has started for England (20/27). Of players to start 25+ games in England's history, only Marcus Rashford has a better win percentage (77%, won 27/35).
Re-introduction. pic.twitter.com/dBQs0bZ7oa
Since making his England debut in 2018, Alexander-Arnold has accumulated 34 senior caps for his country. It's a figure many players would be proud to retire with, but for someone of such evident quality, the Real Madrid star's tally feels underwhelming. Declan Rice debuted more recently and already has 80.
Trent was included in Gareth Southgate's 2018 World Cup squad as a 19-year-old but traveled to Russia as a reserve, while he withdrew from Euro 2020 through injury.
He was subsequently named in both of Southgate's remaining international tournament squads, but the former manager never quite figured out how to deploy Alexander-Arnold, who thrived under Jürgen Klopp's Liverpool as that rarest of commodities: a playmaker operating from a defensive position.
Southgate even experimented with Alexander-Arnold in midfield, but concerns over his defensive reliability and unconventional style meant the likes of Kyle Walker, Kieran Trippier and Reece James remained the favored choices at right back. Matters deteriorated under Tuchel, with the German even omitting Alexander-Arnold from his 2026 World Cup squad entirely despite a shortage of specialist alternatives—a call that left many puzzled.
With successive England managers prioritizing defensive solidity over creativity, the Three Lions have essentially chosen not to utilize their most gifted passer since David Beckham.
How Alexander-Arnold Can Go to Next Level for Real Madrid
When he completed his transfer from Liverpool to Real Madrid at the start of summer 2025, Alexander-Arnold insisted he was doing so to become the "greatest right back to have played football" and claim the Ballon d'Or.
Following a disappointing, trophy-free season with Los Blancos and an absence from the World Cup, the former Liverpool star was (unsurprisingly) left off this year's shortlist for soccer's most prestigious individual award and appears a long way from a first nomination since 2022. Nevertheless, the potential for greatness remains. It will simply require hard work and conviction.
Unlike Jude Bellingham or Kylian Mbappé, Alexander-Arnold is not a ready-made superstar. You cannot simply drop him into an existing system and expect him to reproduce the form that made him a Premier League and Champions League winner at Liverpool. He is a pass-picking playmaker first and a defender second and, as such, requires the system to be adapted to fully unlock his potential.
The finest Liverpool sides he featured in included energetic right-sided center backs and defensive midfielders capable of covering the space that Alexander-Arnold would periodically vacate when joining attacks.
He will never be the sharpest one-on-one defender or a dueling powerhouse, but there is simply no comparable threat in the game from his position. As Gordon noted on Tuesday, he sees and executes things that others simply cannot.
Like England, Real Madrid are expected to dominate the majority of their opponents, but have at times this season struggled to break down low defensive blocks, while José Mourinho's side still lacks that crucial deep-lying creative force.
So far, Mourinho has alternated between Alexander-Arnold and summer arrival Denzel Dumfries—a considerably more athletic, if not entirely convincing, defensive option—while leaving the Englishman out of the starting eleven for the season's most high-profile fixture: the Madrid derby.
There have been fleeting glimpses of what he is capable of in a white shirt—whether England's or Madrid's—and Alexander-Arnold himself clearly retains full confidence in his own abilities. The question now is whether he can finally earn the trust of Tuchel and Mourinho, two managers who—much like Southgate before them—are pragmatists rather than idealists.