Ballon d’Or: “I don’t know why Trent said that” — Carragher

Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher has delivered a reality check to Trent Alexander-Arnold, pouring cold water on the defender’s ambition of one day clinching the prestigious Ballon d’Or.

According to Carragher, the decorated trophy is nearly impossible to achieve for a full-back—especially one playing outside the famed halls of Real Madrid or Barcelona.

Read More:

Ballon d’Or: Real Madrid fights back as Vinicius Jr. is denied

Alexander-Arnold, who recently expressed his desire to become the first full-back to win the Ballon d’Or, was met with Carragher’s candid reminder:

“You’re not going to win the Ballon d’Or as a right-back for Liverpool,” he told Tribal Football. He pointed out that the vast majority of Ballon d’Or winners reached their peak with either Real Madrid or Barcelona, a reality he suggested Alexander-Arnold should consider.

While he acknowledged the 26-year-old’s ambitions, Carragher found it unusual that the Liverpool star would prioritize individual glory over team trophies, especially in a sport so rooted in collective success. “He is a unique full-back,” Carragher said, praising Alexander-Arnold’s skill, “but I’d always pick the World Cup or Champions League. It’s a team game.”

Carragher’s frank advice leaves Liverpool fans wondering if their star will need a move abroad to fully realize his personal dreams—or if he’ll choose to redefine greatness on his own terms at Anfield.

Going by recent development, Carragher’s statement appears to have come too soon as there now stands a Ballon d’Or controversy as Real Madrid stars; Jude Bellingham, Vinicius Jr. and Kylian Mbappe have been snubbed in favor of Manchester City’s Rodri.