Trent Alexander-Arnold given Ballon d’Or verdict after Real Madrid admission

Trent Alexander-Arnold has been backed by Michael Owen to win the Ballon d’Or after the England right-back made a bold claim about his future in the game

Michael Owen has shared his thoughts on whether Trent Alexander-Arnold could claim the Ballon d’Or. The former Liverpool defender, who switched to Real Madrid on a free transfer during the summer, expressed his ambition to secure the accolade last year.

Speaking to Sky Sports, Alexander-Arnold declared his desire to become the first full-back to achieve this feat and be recognised as the ‘greatest right-back to have played football’. Roberto Carlos came second in the 2002 Ballon d’Or, which was claimed by his compatriot Ronaldo that year.

The pair secured the World Cup together that summer. The England international said: “I believe I can. I want to be the first full-back to ever do it. It’s only the morning after you retire that you’re able to look in the mirror and say, ‘I gave it everything I got.’

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“It doesn’t matter how many trophies you win, or how many medals you’ve got. It matters what you give to the game and if you reach your full potential.”

Numerous critics mocked Alexander-Arnold following his remarks, particularly after he admitted he’d prefer winning the Ballon d’Or to winning World Cup.

Chatting to 247Bet, Owen evaluated the Englishman’s prospects of earning recognition as the world’s finest – just as he achieved in 2001.

“Trent was already in a great place, so it wasn’t a move to enhance his chances of winning anything,” the 45-year-old stated. “It was more of a change of life and a new opportunity.

“He was already winning plenty at Liverpool. But inevitably, if Real Madrid win La Liga and the Champions League, then there’s going to be a Ballon d’Or coming out of that team.

“That’s just the way it goes. So you’ve got to be the best player in that team in that particular year. Whether or not Trent can do that playing at right-back? It would be some achievement.

“It would be pretty hard to do. But if anyone can, I suppose he can. He’s got so much talent and potential for a player in that position.”

Owen was among the first and few former Liverpool players to support Alexander-Arnold when he chose to join Real Madrid after his contract at Anfield ran out.

Speaking on the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast in September, he said: “I didn’t like it. I understand it, of course.

“We understand it because we live it, and we’ve lived it all our life, and we’re in and around football. But fans will never get it because they’ve got a badge there, and until the day they die, they will always support that badge.

“And no matter what the club do, they might do wrong. And a lot of clubs do do wrong to their players and things like that. They will never have a crossword against their club. Now, it’s our career, it’s our life.”

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