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Unsurprisingly, David Beckham and Michael Owen have both talked him up in recent months, with Alexander-Arnold expected to follow in their footsteps and join Real Madrid.

Likewise, he has been able to count on the support of his teammates since making his announcement.

He said that he wanted to push himself somewhere new, after 20 years associated with Liverpool.

But many have recalled his previous remarks, including his eyebrow-raising admission that he would rather win the Ballon d'Or than achieve various team successes.

And to make matters worse for Alexander-Arnold, it's hard to see how the anticipated move to Real Madrid would even bolster his Ballon d'Or credentials.

But even if Alexander-Arnold wins it there, he will have to outshine Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Jr and his good friend Jude Bellingham along the way to even have a shot at the Ballon d'Or

To paraphrase Jurgen Klopp, he will be just another player at the Bernabeu.

It feels relevant to point out that when Owen won the Ballon d'Or, it was not at Real Madrid

Alexander-Arnold may well live to regret being swayed by the glamor of a Ballon d'Or that is unlikely to ever come.